Thank You
by Saru86
Summary: "Naah, okay! I'll leave him alone, as long as he leaves me alone."  Never once in the history of one Naruto Uzumaki had he said something this hopeless before.  SasuNaru, AU, multi-chap, Yaoi, humor, angst, Lemon, in progress
1. For Noticing Me

**Thank You…**

_Chapter 1 – …For Noticing Me_

A SasuNaru Fanfic

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><p>Messing around with new people in school was always fun. Messing around with this one in particular had to be hilarious! Naruto was sure of that.<p>

Sasuke Uchiha had joined the senior class this school year; no one knew where he came from or why he had changed schools in the first place. All the girls from Naruto's class knew was he was a god-like creature and worth drooling over in every class. All the boys from Naruto's class knew was he was an uptight prick with an ice pick shoved in his ass. One might have led to another, since the girls had stopped noticing the other boys completely since the Ice Princess had joined their courses…

Naruto didn't care much about that fact; he was used to being ignored by the girls. It had taken him years to be recognized by at least some of the boys, too – now he had someone to talk to in boring classes, at least.

"We have to get to him!" Naruto insisted.

"What is it with you and that Uchiha prick, hu?" Kiba wondered once again. "I know you like to mess around with the newbies, but you never were so… insisting!"

"You already said the reason, Kiba! He's a prick, that's enough a reason for me!"

"You _know_ the rumors, right? I heard he killed his own brother and had to leave the country…" A visible shudder ran through Kiba's body.

"Yeah, right… Kiba, calm down! You don't **believe** that shit, do you? Come on, you can't be serious!"

"But what if? I mean… Just let him be and we'll all live to see the day of our graduation, okay?"

"Naah, okay! I'll leave him alone, as long as he leaves me alone."

Never once in the history of one Naruto Uzumaki had he said something this hopeless before.

* * *

><p>"Naruto – pass!"<p>

"As if, Uchiha! This one's mine!" Naruto sprinted upfield, aiming for the goal where a rather flustered Hinata tried to hold her stance. The blond boy charged, aimed and swung his leg forward, kicking the ball hard in the girl's direction, a slight spin giving it an unpredictable curve.

Naruto, sure of his victory, turned around and immediately fell into his winner pose, showing off his white teeth and pumping his fist in the air. Until he heard the other team's screams.

"Yeah! Hinata! That's the spirit!"

Naruto spun around, watching in horror as the ball he already had seen in the net flew over the whole field, reaching Shino right in front of his own team's goal. The silent boy scored, giving Kiba not the slightest chance to keep his goal clear.

Just as Naruto wanted to sigh something solid collided with the back of his head, hard.

"Usuratonkachi! Why didn't you pass the ball?" The solid thing had been Sasuke's hand, obviously.

Naruto stared at the black haired male, hatred flaming in his eyes.

"As if you'd turned it into a score!" the blond spat.

"You bet, Usuratonkachi!" Sasuke stood right in front of him, towering a few centimeters over him. "Not like I expected anything else than failure from you…"

"You bet, hu?" The Uzumaki's blood began to boil. "You know me that good you know what to expect from me, hu! **I** bet you didn't expect _that_, Bastard!"

He swung his arm around, connecting his clenched fist with the bastard's jaw. A loud slap sounded through the sports hall, echoing from the walls, and in the blink of an eye both boys were on the ground, tussling and rolling over the floor.

"Uzumaki! Uchiha! Apart! Now!" The usually lazy voice of their sports teacher cut through the excited chatter of the other students, making Naruto and Sasuke pausing in their blows and looking up to the prematurely grayed man. "I can't believe you two! In my bureau, now! The rest… You're free to go!"

Both boys stood up from where they were entangled, an awkward silence between them as they headed for the teacher's room. Once there they stood in front of a huge desk scattered in slips of notepapers and other paper sheets.

"What is it with you two, hu?" The grey haired man looked the boys over, then searching each one of their glances with his own.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hatake," Naruto said in a casual tone. It wasn't the first time he was scolded by a teacher and it wouldn't be the last time, either. He knew what they wanted to hear, did even know which timbre he had to give his voice according to which teacher he was facing.

"Hn." Sasuke didn't need any apologies, didn't even need words. Teachers were bound to shrivel under his cold glare.

"I don't believe a word you say, Naruto. And you don't 'Hn' me, Sasuke! I'm done with you two! Detention Hatake style, for both of you!"

That made both boys take a step back in disbelief. "Detention!"

"Don't give me that look; it's your own fault. Since the others are gone by now you will have the pleasure of tidying up the tool sheds." For once the laid back teacher seemed really upset, so it seemed best not to talk back to him.

"Yes, Mr. Hatake…" Naruto mumbled, still somewhat surprised he actually was punished for something he had done. That sure was a first!

"Hn."

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe I have to do this shit!" Naruto once again complained, putting the barbells in the shelves ordered by their weight.<p>

"Hn."

"Could you PLEASE stop that shit? Use actual words or stop talkin' at all!" The Uchiha hadn't said a single word in the last hour since they were clearing the gym.

"H-"

"STOP IT! I mean it!"

"We wouldn't be here if it weren't for your idiocy, Usuratonkachi."

"Finally, words! A whole sentence, even! You're makin' me proud, Uchiha!" Naruto shed some fake tears, sobbing dramatically. When that didn't lead to the desired reaction, Naruto changed his tactics – aggressive silence. Every single one of his friends began to tick sooner or later, confronted with a sulking and pouting Uzumaki.

The silence wore on for one solid hour and it was Naruto who ticked. "Bastard! Talk to me!"

"Hn."

Just as Naruto wanted to start his 'Hn-tirade', the lights shut off. "What?" He looked around frantically, searching for the person who had turned off the lights, but there was no one in the gym beside the two boys. "Hey, what's with that?"

Sasuke looked around calmly, refusing to lose his temper and begin to panic. "Calm down, will you? I'm sure Hatake will come and get us soon, since they seem to lock up everything now."

And as if on command the clicking sound of a lock was heard. They locked up indeed.

"Genius…" Naruto mocked. "Didn't sound as if there was someone coming for us, hu?" Without further ado the blond ran to the next door and began to pull on the door handle, screaming for help.

"HEEEY! WE'RE IN HERE!" and "FIRE!" yelled through the air, disturbing the blissful calm the Uzumaki's silence had created. "Calm down, Usuratonkachi," Sasuke said lowly, rubbing his temples to fight the oncoming headache. "Give the man some time to remember we're here, okay?" It was time for the blond to let go of his offensive personality or the Uchiha would be forced to shut his goddamn loud mouth.

"You're here how long exactly?" Naruto inquired.

"Something about three months."

"And you really believe Kakashi Hatake will come to get us? He's the one who just locked up the doors of the gym! He forgot about us and we will have to stay here for the whole day – and the night! In school! Without food!" Naruto began to hyperventilate.

"Come on, please! Get a hold of yourself! The doors have panic handles, right? So we can open them and then go tell someone they have to-" Sasuke stopped his calm explanation as soon as he had reached the only exit of the storage room they were in. No panic handle.

"What was it about the panic handle, usupatronchki?" the Uzumaki mocked.

"Shut up! And it is 'Usuratonkachi'!" Before Naruto could continue to go on his nerves Sasuke made a sudden move with his hand to prevent the blond from saying anything.

Naruto retreated into a shadowy corner of the room. Rustling noises filled the air around the young man and Sasuke wondered what he was doing in the dark. '_Probably something idiotic._'

It wasn't before a relieved sigh was heard that Sasuke thought about his temporary companion again. "What are you doing over there, Usuratonkachi? I hope you're not jerking off or something…"

"Now that you mention it…" Naruto chuckled. "But no, I'm not jerking off or something. I'm just lying around on my bed made of sport mattresses. There's plenty of space – mind to join me?"

It was right, he didn't exactly _like_ the Uchiha, but that didn't mean he had to be an asshole all of the time. They were in the same boat, at least for the time being.

"As if I would share a bed with you!" the Uchiha replied angrily, as if offended by the mere mentioning of such a ridiculous offer.

"Do as you like, bastard." It wasn't Naruto's problem after all. _He_knew how uncomfortable it would be after a few hours of standing around; there weren't that many seats, or possibilities to sit comfortably at all. He just had to wait for the stuck up bastard to get awfully uncomfortable before he would ask for a place on his improvised bed.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Usuratonkachi…"<p>

Not the most pleasurable wake up call, but Naruto would take it. "Yeah?" he asked, stirring after his little nap.

"You said something about space…"

"Yeah. It's endless, isn't it? And still expanding, or so the scientists say!"

"Would you shut it? I meant your mattress!" A furiously pulsating vein on his temple accompanied these words.

"Oh, sorry! Guess I misunderstood you… Hadn't thought you might actually consider my gracious offer!" Naruto had the time of his life and it was quite obvious. "Be my guest, bastard!"

Sasuke sank down on the surprisingly comfortable mattress, feeling his tense muscles relax the second he made contact with the soft surface. Wait, 'soft'?

"No hard feelings for you sitting on my things, Uchiha…" Naruto said as he pulled his hoodie out from under Sasuke's back.

"Well, don't put it where I want to sit down, Usuratonkachi."

"Eh, can I ask you a question?"

"You did."

"Did what?"

"Two times."

"Two fuckin' what?"

"It's three now, Usuratonkachi."

"You know what, bastard? Fuck you!"

"Hn." He wouldn't answer any of the stupid questions the other might ask him, Sasuke would see to that; his trademark syllable was exactly the right choice to do so. And sure enough…

"Bastard! I'm trying to have a conversation here, you know?" Naruto was close to losing it. "You could at least _pretend_ to be a human being instead of a bastard made of ice with an ice prick shoved up his ass!"

Sasuke snorted. "Ice bastard? I like that one! And that is your attempt in conversation? Pathetic."

"Screw you! Get off of my bed, right now! I'm done with you!" The Uzumaki began to throw an outgrown tantrum, determined to push the black haired asshole off his mattress.

And as every time when push came to shove, it ended in disaster and both boys found themselves with their lips pressed against each other. They stayed like this for some awkward seconds, disgust and shock written on their faces. Eventually they yanked back their heads, sputtering and wiping their mouths.

"See? That happens when you don't know when to stop, Usuratonkachi…" Sasuke said lowly, a threatening growl in his voice.

"See? That happens when you're a giant asshole who doesn't know how to behave toward others!" Naruto spit back, turning his body away from the other student. When he faced him again, a broad grin had spread over his face. "But since we know each other on a whole new level now, you might finally be willing to answer my question, hu? You can ask me one in return!"

The guy's excitement was contagious – which was something Sasuke had to prevent immediately. He didn't know what it was that made him actually consider going along with the boy's plans, but he found himself answering positively.

"Yay! Okay, so… What does 'usuratonkachi' mean? You're calling me that all the time and I don't even know what it means!"

Sasuke spared Naruto a cold glance, finally locking with the other's (remarkably blue and intense) eyes. "I won't answer that."

"Bu-… Why?" Naruto seemed honestly surprised. "Aw, come on, bastard! There was a moment! We had a moment and you crushed it!"

"A moment?" the Uchiha asked skeptically. "You don't refer to the… thing we did there, do you?"

"WHAT? NO!" The volume of the denial made clear that, no, Naruto did NOT refer to _that_. "But I had the feeling we got along for a few seconds. Don't spoil that!"

The Uchiha gave his company another once over, then sighed and sank back onto the mattress to get comfortable. It couldn't be helped – they were stuck together and it wouldn't hurt to get to known to at least one of his fellow students, right? No harm in that; they weren't _bonding_ or anything.

"Honestly, I cannot answer your question," Sasuke admitted. "It's Japanese, that's all I know."

Naruto's eyes shone with sincere happiness. Sasuke, _the Uchiha_!, was finally talking – and to _him_ at that! "So, it's possible you could possibly have been announcing your never dying love for me every time you said that?" A light snickering filled the air, easing the tension even more.

"NO!" That's what you got for being honest… "It's some kind of insult; that much I know."

"Oh, too bad. Since my 'bastard' is a term of endearment!" The blond's happy laughter rang through the dark room and elicited a small and unexpected chuckle from Sasuke. He did manage to turn it into a smirk, but the damage was done. "Hey, so you **can** have fun, hu? Nice to know!"

And once again Sasuke found himself without his usual scowl – and he actually didn't care. Except… "What happens in here stays in here, right?" It wasn't much of a question.

"Hu?" Naruto seemed confused by that.

"You won't go around and tell the others I don't know what I'm saying, right?"

"Ah, that. No, I won't. I won't even mention our make out session from earlier!"

"Usura-… Uzumaki!"

"Hey, just kiddin'! And I know we didn't make out – even when, I wouldn't say only one word about it; I like to be alive, you see?"

"What do you mean by that?" Now the Uchiha really was interested. And surprised by exactly that fact.

"If Sakura or Ino'd hear that I touched your sacred lips, they'd emasculate me right then and there. And as much as I like to be the center of attention-" "No kidding!" Sasuke interrupted. "Screw you, Sasuke. However, as much as I like to be the center of attention, I like my dick and balls even more."

The black haired boy could relate to that; at least to the emasculate-o-phobic part. "It's ironic, though," he began thoughtfully. "I'm not interested in any of the girls. All they do is look at me and drool for whatever reason."

"Hey, cut them some slack. You're hot!" Naruto chirped, getting more comfortable with both the mattress and the conversation they had.

The Uchiha's head spun around. "I'm what now?"

"You're hot! You can't tell me you didn't know!" An appreciating pair of eyes roamed the dark haired man's body. "With a body like that… Don't tell me you don't enjoy taking a shower and lathering those muscled abs wasn't a pleasure in itself!"

Sasuke's eyes grew wide and he couldn't take his glance off Naruto's face. Naruto hadn't just… Time for a topic change! "You promised I could ask a question, too."

"Yeah, I did." Thanks to Naruto and his attention 'span' – if you could call it that.

"Why do you paint dark lines in your face?" That was something Sasuke was really curious about. Kiba had those tattoos in his face – inheritance of his native roots. Kankuro wore some kind of strange make up… 'facepaint' as he called it, because of the puppet theater group he was a member of. It seemed that a lot of people in his new class had something that made them individual, something they did to let them stand out. So with Naruto it had to be the same; Sasuke wanted to know the reason behind it. But as he saw how the earlier light disappeared from the vividly eyes, he regretted his question.

Naruto brought his fingertips to his cheeks, slowly tracing the whisker like lines. "I don't paint them on my face. Actually, I'd rather paint them over but that only makes them stand out more."

Dull eyes rose up and locked with Sasuke's nearly black ones, showing a deep sadness that was usually hidden behind a cheery smile. "They are scars – and the only thing I have left of my parents."

That definitely dampened the mood and Sasuke felt bad for having asked the question in the first place. He wasn't able to apologize (that just didn't bare with his Uchiha genes), but he could try to get rid of the dark mood he had caused.

"Ah, I see. Let's talk about something else." That wasn't what he wanted; he really was interested in the stupid blond next to him (and it got harder to think of him as 'stupid' with every passing minute), but he didn't want the other to feel sad because of him.

It seemed like it had been the wrong thing to say, again.

"Oh, well… If you want to…" Naruto's voice was low and somehow crestfallen.

"Uzumaki, I mean… I don't … I didn't want you to feel down," Sasuke finally managed something akin to an apology and held the other's eyes to show him he meant it.

"I know, Sasuke. It's just… For a few seconds I thought you really wanted to know, you see? No one else ever asked about them before; maybe they think they are make-up as you did. But no one _wanted to know_." The blond's words came harder now. "No one wants to _know_ Naruto Uzumaki. All you see is the goofball and idiot."

Sasuke gulped, almost withering under the intense gaze of Naruto's intense blue eyes; it was like they had their own spot highlighting them in the darkness of the gym.

"So, why did you change schools?"

Where did that come from? The Uchiha sat back, shaking his head in surprise. Ah, yes, he had asked for a topic change, right?

"Actually it's a little private… I had some problems on my old school – the people there couldn't take who I am so I changed schools and moved here; let's leave it at that."

"You simply moved here? What's with your family? Don't tell me the story about you having killed your brother is the truth!" Naruto's mind had lightened considerably and there were no traces left of his 'confession' earlier.

"Of course it's true!" Sasuke allowed himself a little chuckle. "Na, not really; but isn't it my turn after you had your question?"

Naruto looked at him in surprise, but grinned when he found the usual smirk missing. "Oh, sorry! Go on!"

"Okay. So, tell me about Naruto Uzumaki. Who are you?"

Dark, dull azure lit up and a sincere smile spread over the tanned, whiskered face. "You really want to know, hu? Not just out of a misplaced sense of obligation?" After a confirming nod Naruto scooted closer to Sasuke and sank onto his back, waiting for the dark haired boy to get comfortable next to him.

"Actually, I really AM a goofball and an idiot, but I'm sure you knew that already. But I like to think there's more to me than smiles and sunshine. I don't have any blood related family left; my parents died when their car bursted into flames – a fox had done something to some cables under the hood and a spark set fire to the fuel line. My father managed to get me out of my baby car seat, but Mum and Dad died. That's been years ago and ever since I was given from foster home to foster home. They called me 'firebug' and no one wanted to keep me. Then, a few years ago, my godfather reappeared on the surface and took care of me; that's the day I'm celebrating my birthday now."

Sasuke turned to his neighbor, a look of surprise on his face. "That's your story? And your scars are from the accident?"

Naruto shook his head, once again tracing the faded scars. "No, I got them later. I had a rather 'unpleasant' encounter with one of my foster fathers. He said that since I had nothing left of my parents to remember them he at least would make me look like a fox so I had _something_ to remind me."

He didn't sound too depressed and that put the Uchiha at ease. "You're rather interesting when you want to be, Uzumaki."

"I live to please," Naruto laughed and rolled onto his side, now facing his company. "What about your background, Sasuke?"

"I have family back home, but I live here on my own. As I told you earlier, I changed not only the school, but the city as well – and the state at that. I had to get away from where I was; get away from a family's expectations I couldn't live up to."

"Any skeletons in the closet?"

"Close!" Sasuke actually snickered, his eyes nearly closing while his smile grew wider and his white teeth were shining through. "Since you told me your story I guess I owe you, hu? You have to promise me something, though. For real, this time!"

Naruto's curiosity was piqued and he brought his head closer to Sasuke's, his eyes shining in anticipation. "What is it? I'll promise anything!"

The Uchiha cocked his head to the side, a single eyebrow slowly rising. "Anything, hu?"

"As long as it isn't 'Never eat ramen again' or some shit like that!" the blond rectified, as eager as he had been before.

"I'll let you your ramen. It's just… What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?"

"Yeah, sure. But what has a desert city to do with us? You won't tell me you won a fortune on the one-armed bandit, do you?"

"Uzumaki, you're quite a handful to endure…" the dark haired boy sighed. "Let's just pretend _this_ is Vegas and what happens here stays here. Understood?"

"Roger!" the smaller of the men answered and indicated a military salute.

"Okay, so… It's not a skeleton I have in the closet. It's me." Sasuke waited for the explosion that surely was about to come.

"What's you?"

"The skeleton."

"You're a skeleton? Hey, you're way too well built to pass for a skeleton!"

"Uhm… Thanks, I guess? But I'm in the closet."

"Technically this is a storage room; there are no mattresses in the closets here."

"Naruto, please!" Naruto might not have realized Sasuke just had used his first name to address him for the first time; Sasuke surely had and it made him feel lightheaded. "I'm a _man in the closet_."

"So you're gay," Naruto stated bluntly, clearly not seeing what the problem was. "So am I; no big deal."

Sasuke stared at him in shock; forgotten was the scowl, forgotten was the blank mask, forgotten was the ice prick shoved up his ass. "You… You're…"

"Gay, yeah."

"Not that! You're… okay with that?"

"It would be pretty hypocritical if I wouldn't be, don't you think?" Naruto rolled onto his back and raised his arms into the air, rotating his shoulders and being on balance. "Is that why you came here? Why you changed school and left your family?"

"Yes. I told one of my 'friends' about my preferences and he lost no time to make it public knowledge that the student council president was gay and therefore after everything with three legs." Sasuke sighed. "They made my life living hell. Snide remarks from nearly everything, hateful glares of the girls, the boys tried to beat me up – I never was the most sociable person on campus, but I at least had _some_contact with other students. That stopped at that time and I tried to go on without paying attention to anyone else. It figured that didn't work – I was hated at school, was hated at home. I had to get out there and so I did. I am old enough and my uncle made sure to get rid of me as soon as he could. I was a stain on his reputation and had to be removed without causing a stir so he gave me the money I needed and sent me my way. And here I am," he ended and mimicked Naruto's posture, slouching on the mattress and rotating his shoulders to get rid of the tension that had built over months of hiding his inner self.

"Sasuke?"

"Naruto?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For telling me. For listening to me. For using my name instead of 'usupatronchki'."

"Hn. Usuratonkachi."

"And back to the monosyllables…" Naruto groaned. "Oh, by the way: 'Usuratonkachi' means 'idiot'; just for further references."

"Wait, you _know_ what it means?" The Uchiha raised his upper body, staring at the other boy in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I had foster parents who were teachers and they called me that a lot. That makes me think: You're parents aren't redheads, by any luck?" He looked at black hair and black eyes and shook his head laughing. "Forget that. Whatever; I looked it up and here it was."

Sasuke had the decency to look a little ashamed, turning away his head and mumbling something unintelligible. When he turned back to face Naruto again a loud snap tore through the air and the Uchiha grunted in pain, clutching his neck. "Fuck!"

Naruto looked up, worry written clear over his face. "Sasuke?"

"Cricked my neck!" he managed between gritted teeth, cautiously pressing his hand on the aching area.

"Sprawl and relax, I'll help you!" Naruto ordered, scooting to the side to make some space for the black haired boy. Who looked at him a little stunned. "What? I'll give you a massage!"

Sasuke wasn't too fond of the idea of being touched, but his aching neck made him consider the offer and he finally gave in. But before his chest could make contact with the squashy surface of the mattress Naruto held him back. It was the first touch and Sasuke hadn't even flinched – he was so proud of himself!

"Shirt," Naruto stated dryly.

Now Sasuke flinched. "Right. It covers my upper body and prevents me from getting cold or wet should the weather turn foul."

"Off."

"But-"

"Sasuke; there IS no weather inside, neither foul nor anything else. So would you please strip? And that's not meant as a bad pick-up line."

Since it didn't seem like he'd get off the hook he started to yank on his shirt, pulling it over his head. While his sight was restricted he couldn't see Naruto's eyes roam over his body, taking in every square centimeter of pale skin that was revealed before his appreciating gaze.

Creamy skin stretched over rippled abs, highlighted by a thin path of night black hair leading from the pants' hem to a delectable navel; further up defined pectoral muscles made their appearance, adorned by small, dark nubs. As the lower hem of the shirt revealed the juncture between throat and chest Naruto stared into another direction; partly to hide his earlier staring, but mostly to keep his cock from awaking to full aroused state. That wouldn't only make the massage pretty hard (no pun intended), it would spoil the friendly mood they had established as well.

Sasuke spread his shirt out on the mattress and sank down onto it, moving slowly to prevent his neck from further damage. "Uhm, Naruto… One more thing."

"Hm?" Naruto grunted in acknowledgement; he wouldn't open his mouth unless really necessary or he would cause drool Deluge worthy of being mentioned in the next Bible. Sasuke was too hot for his own good – sprawled in front of him, topless, with lean back muscles shifting under smooth skin, a slightly trembling bicep, a butt to bite in… He was a temptation on legs, a walking wet dream and he was about to touch this sacred being!

"Eh, sorry? I kinda spaced out…"

"It's just… Please don't feel offended should I flinch, okay? I'm not used to be touched by others." The embarrassment was clearly audible in the raven's voice.

"No problem, Sasuke. When it gets too uncomfortable you just have to say something and I'll stop." Suddenly Naruto became more excited. "We could agree on a safe word, how's that?"

"That's Sadomaso, Naruto. I don't think we reached that level yet!" Sasuke deadpanned, but his posture became more relaxed. A disappointed huff from Naruto made him reconsider his answer and he finally gave in. "Okay, 'Hatake' is my safe word. Okay?"

"Okay!" the Uzumaki cheered, cautiously straddling Sasuke's outstretched legs. "Then I can get a little rougher, hu?"

The boy under him snickered and closed his eyes, his head placed onto his arms. A content sigh escaped him as warm hands began to work their magic on his neck.

It didn't take long and the breathing of the dark haired male evened out and he doze off. Naruto was familiar with this kind of reaction to his massages and he gloated about it as often as he could. He guessed it was his easy going attitude, his high body temperature and a little bit of a talent to massage that made others let their guards down around him so they could relax.

His hands kneaded the knots out of Sasuke's neck and shoulders, then squeezed the musculature of that area until he could feel it heat up. When the upper back was considerably loosened he turned his eye – and his hands – on the muscular small of the back, letting his fingers roam over the creamy skin along the spine. It felt great to have this man under him, relaxed enough to sleep in his former 'enemy's' presence.

"Ne, Sasuke, we kinda get along," he whispered as he spread his hands to cover as much of the porcelain skin as he could. He could feel his warmth seep into the body beneath him, at the same time as the muscles under his fingers trembled slightly.

Naruto drew soothing circles over the broad expanse of Sasuke's back, not one square centimeter being neglected by his skilled hands. Sometimes he even went down the other boy's sides, feeling the rips under his calloused fingertips, stroking as much of the other's front as he could.

Whenever the blond removed his hands from Sasuke's body the sleeper grunted his disapproval and fidgeted unwillingly. In contrast he moaned lowly as soon as Naruto brought his hands back on his skin and the fidgeting stopped the very second.

It was those moans who got to Naruto the most. Not only was he presented with the most delicious piece of man one could think of; no, he decided to moan at his merely touch! It was the Uzumaki's turn to fidget now. His fidgeting had a side effect he hadn't thought of – he slid further down the Uchiha's body, taking his sports pants with him. A few centimeters of even paler, even silkier skin was revealed and Naruto nearly lost it.

There, right in front of him, were two firm globes, visible mostly through the strained layer of clothing, revealed by a few centimeters so that the topmost part of his cleft was visible between the round and perfect cheeks. Naruto drooled onto his shirt and didn't even notice it.

Instead he leaned forwards and laid his face onto the warm back, relishing the scent of the other teen. He took deep breaths of the smell and tried to burn it into his memory. After a few moments he was sure he could identify Sasuke just by his scent; but it wasn't enough. He had seen him, he had heard him, he had touched him, he had smelled him – he wanted, _needed_ to taste this man!

Naruto sat up, listening closely to Sasuke's breathing; even, deep, calm. Yupp, still asleep – that was his chance! Leaning down once more, he brought his face to Sasuke's neck, his eyes wide open and ready to notice even the slightest stir.

The tanned teen buried his nose in the black locks of the other boy, inhaling the fresh scent of the raven's shampoo. Then he continued his journey down the cervical vertebrae, until he reached the plain between the shoulder blades.

Pushing his puckered lips against the vibrating skin he paused, waiting for any sign of Sasuke's awakening. Deeply relieved at the complete lack of reaction Naruto respired and became a little braver. His tongue peeked out between full lips, its tip finally reaching the warmth of the other body.

Naruto mewled and closed his eyes as the full spectrum of sensations washed over his brain.

Sasuke's scent in his nose, the slightly salty flavor of his skin on his (now full out lapping) tongue, his warmth seeping through Naruto's shirt – and his low, husky voice in his ear.

_**Voice!**_

"Naruto, you should wash your hands."

"I… Sas-… Sor-… **What**?"

"You should wash your hands," Sasuke calmly replied, his answer muffled by the arms his face was resting in.

"Oh, they are sweaty, right?"Perfect excuse! Sweaty hands; that was what's been wet on Sasuke's skin!

"No, they are perfectly dry. But they are doing nasty, dirty things."

"Like massaging you? Have you been a bad boy, Sasuke?"

"No, Naruto. But your hands are currently cupping my ass; under my pants, if I may add that." Sasuke's voice hadn't wavered once, hadn't lost its composure and calm for a second.

Unlike Naruto who was close to lose pretty much everything – mostly his nerves. He yanked his hands back as if he'd been burned (a little voice in his head mourning the loss of feel and the fact that Naruto hadn't even _known_ he had been feeling Sasuke's perfect ass under his fingers) and literally jumped off of Sasuke.

"Oh my God! That's so embarrassing! I'm sorry, Sasuke! I… It's not like me to do something like that!"

"So you're no rapist of sleeping people by habit?" Sasuke enjoyed the situation way too much. He hadn't moved an inch since Naruto had stopped his massage.

Come to think of it…

"Sasuke? When exactly did you wake up?" Naruto asked suspiciously, his eyes closing in on the tousled back of Sasuke's head.

"That's not the question to ask, Usuratonkachi."

"Then what is, bastard?" '_Back to the known habits, hu?_'

"The right question would be: 'Did you fall asleep at all'…" Sasuke rolled on his side and searched for Naruto's gaze. "Come back, Naruto. I really enjoyed your massage. And stop blushing!"

"It's not the massage I'm embarrassed about – I _know_ what to do with my hands!" Naruto retorted pouty.

"Do you really think I had a problem with you touching me? Jeez! I'm surprised I didn't have!" Sasuke's eyes were honest. "Naruto, would you _please_ join me on the mattress again?"

'_That's new! A _pleading_ Sasuke! I could get used to that…_'

"I know what you're thinking, Uzumaki, and I'll tell you once: Forget it!" the Uchiha growled, but patted the free space next to him nonetheless.

"You know, I _could_ make you plead and beg, Sasuke…" Naruto mused, back to his good mood.

When he sank down next to Sasuke a strong arm snaked around his shirt covered shoulder and pulled him closer to the half naked man.

"Sure…" the black haired teen breathed and closed his eyes. "Now I'll sleep. And I won't let go of you – just to make sure you don't rape me in my sleep; better safe than sorry, right?"

The Uzumaki wriggled closer into the embrace. Gripping the offered hand he answered: "Yupp, better safe than sorry." And then he intertwined their fingers, squeezed Sasuke's hand and relaxed into sleep. "Hey, Sasuke," he mumbled before it was too late.

"Hn?" -Grunt from Naruto- "Oh, sorry! What?"

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>Naruto awoke warm and comfy. His back was pressed against a firm wall of warmth, his head rested on something hard, but it was higher than the soft mattress he lay on and named mattress adjusted to his posture. He wiggled and scooted even closer to the warm wall behind him, snuggling into the welcoming arms that closed around him.<p>

Arms?

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Sasuke's voice washed over him, bringing back memories of his embarrassment, but of the good things, too.

"So you're my prince, hu?" The blond yawned and turned around in the other's hold. "Is it morning already?"

"No. I think we slept for two or three hours. It's probably around eleven or something."

"So we still got time. That's good," Naruto mumbled, enjoying the raven's closeness to its fullest.

"Time for what?" Sasuke asked, a smirk hidden in his amused voice.

"For what we are doing!" He really didn't get where that was incomprehensible. He felt great right now; being warm, being held, maybe even being cherished. Too bad it all would come to an end with the sunrise. Naruto felt more like Cinderella than Sleeping Beauty – when the bell rang twelve times his dream was over and he didn't even have a glass shoe to leave behind on the stairs.

"Actually… We can do that all night long!" the Uchiha added, nuzzling the blond mob of hair in front of his face. He startled in shock, running through his last actions and thoughts another time. Nuzzling? An Uchiha? Screw it, he was _Sasuke_ and did what he wanted to do. And what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, so there was no danger of being caught in the act of being a human being.

Naruto giggled as Sasuke's nose tickled his ear and he wriggled in the other teen's embrace. "Ticklish!" he warned, but when Sasuke didn't stop he couldn't help but squirm.

A stray hand landed on the raven's still unclothed chest and refused to leave that spot. That made the boys stop fooling around and their eyes found the other's.

"Naruto…"

"Sasuke?"

"I'm not ticklish."

"Then you don't mind?"

"No, I don't…"

Naruto's fingers sprawled over the defined chest, hiding one of the dark brown nipples under his palm. Slowly their faces came closer, until they were parted by a mere breath. "You wouldn't mind this, either?"

"No, I woul-" Naruto interrupted the meaningless sentence in the most effective way; he pressed his full, red lips onto Sasuke's thinner, pale ones and once again he mewled like he had done when he had tasted Sasuke's skin for the first time. The pressure behind the kiss increased and the blond pushed his whole body flush against the Uchiha's taller form.

Sasuke reacted in the first way that came to his mind – he pulled Naruto on top of him and used the startled gasp to invade the blond's mouth to experience his taste first hand. Or tongue.

Two slick muscles engaged in a heated dance, rubbing against each other playfully and coaxing them into the foreign territory, just to fight back again.

The teens communicated through grunts and moans, neither of them willing to break their connection. Moving their lips over each other they devoured their counterpart, giving into the tension that had built over the last few months, finally collapsing in this moment.

"Naruto, you-" Sasuke mumbled against the younger boy's mouth.

"I know, Sasuke. You too!"

"No, you don't know. You are causing my cock into a more than uncomfortable angle!"

"Oh, sorry!" Naruto blushed and raised his hips at the same time as he dove in for the next kiss. While his lips distracted Sasuke from what he had planned to do – bringing order into the contents of his pants, most probably – he used the opportunity to open the pants' bow and pull them down in one swift move, taking the boxers with them.

Sasuke's previously strained erection slapped back onto his taut stomach with an audible 'smack' and left small stains of precum behind; a groan accompanied the smack and made Naruto grin into their kiss.

"Why is it that I am mostly naked and you are still fully dressed?" Sasuke asked a little pouting; he was not even shocked by his 'un-Uchiha-ness' when he was faced with a Naruto who slowly stripped his shirt while his pelvis circled over his own lower body.

Centimeter for centimeter of evenly tanned skin was revealed as Naruto stretched his upper body, pulling his shirt upwards. A defined six-pack led up to two pert nipples, adorning a muscular chest. Sasuke followed the path of the shirt, caressing the sun kissed skin until he reached Naruto's broad shoulders. His hands continued their tour down the arms, returned via the inner side of the limbs and stroked over the armpits, finally reaching the blond's throat. Naruto was breathtaking!

"Like what you see?" Naruto asked grinning and increased the pressure of his crotch against Sasuke's arousal.

"A lot!" Sasuke answered huskily, then palmed Naruto's own arousal through his pants. "Like what you feel?"

"I like this better…" came the whispered answer and Naruto had yanked his pants down and buried Sasuke's hand between his thighs. The raven didn't lose any time and closed his fingers around the blond's erection, his own cock forgotten for the moment – Naruto's face, captured in excitement and pleasure, was way more fulfilling; and those _sounds_!

Naruto on the other hand didn't even try to concentrate on anything particular, nor did he try to conceal his moans. It simply felt too good to be in this situation with Sasuke – after everything they had gone through. The nearly hate in school, the tense afternoon, the nice evening, the sleep in each other's arms; Naruto was falling for Sasuke. Screw that, he was in head over heels!

Frantically grabbling filled the next few minutes while both boys got to know the foreign body, got to know the points that made the other gasp and the strokes that elicited the most delicious moans.

Both young men were horny like hell when their erections finally met for the first time.

Naruto wiggled on top of Sasuke, sliding down a few centimeters until he could grasp both their cocks and stroke them simultaneously. Anticipation burned brightly in his eyes as he brought their dicks together. As soon as the sensitive skin touched for the first time – nothing overly exciting happened. It felt good to feel their precum slickened slide together, though, but not to the expected amount of intensity.

"I… kinda expected something to happen…" Sasuke said almost disappointed.

"You want something to happen?" Naruto asked grinning, increasing the pressure of his hand and thrusting slowly with his hips. At the raven's approving nod he broke their contact and slid further down the other's body, leaving kisses in his wake.

A poking tongue played with hardening buds, waking them to full hardness before bold teeth gnawed on them lightly. Naruto's hands never left Sasuke's body, either.

Probing fingertips feathered over taut abs, tickled muscular thighs and caressed the sensitive skin of the raven's arms, discovered even the tender arm pits; much to Sasuke's surprise.

"Isn't that a little disgusting?" he asked into the silence.

"Is it for you?" Naruto answered muffled, his mouth unwilling to get separated of the smooth pectorals he just was mapping.

"No… It feels – good!"

"So does it for me, Sasuke!" And as to proof his point Naruto kissed his way over to the side, licking a wet trace from a hardened nipple into the warm and tender cave. The blond breathed deeply, inhaled the masculine scent that was Sasuke; his flavor full of a hardly tamed virility hidden beneath something hot and spicy.

For Naruto it was heaven and hell at the same time – and a million things more. His tongue lapped hungrily, moistening a path from the hot pit down to the hand. When he was done his own hand reached for the caressed appendage and fingers intertwined while Naruto kissed his way back up to Sasuke's parted lips.

A sensual kiss connected their faces, their desires and their lust and they moaned into the lock of their lips at the same time. "Let's see if something happens now," Sasuke suggested and pushed Naruto into the right position to grab their heavily leaking erections once again.

Naruto sighed contently, arching his back and pushing his hips into Sasuke's. "Definitely happening something right now!" he moaned and closed his eyes. His body fell into a slow and steady beat of thrusts, supported by Sasuke's equally slow strokes.

They weren't in a hurry, didn't want to end this too soon. Instead they stretched their ministrations as long as they could, enjoying the shared sensations.

"Do you… hng! Do you like it?" Sasuke asked shaking.

"Yeah! I… Ah! Love it!" Naruto's thrusts lost their steadiness and the beat became erratic with the urge to find the blissful completion. "Sasuke, I'm about t'-"

"Wait for me, Naruto! Just a little-…" The grip around their cocks tightened as Naruto put his hand around Sasuke's and helped the strokes, varying angle and pressure.

The joined sensation washed over them, nearly frying their brains and all that was left was lust and the determination to reach oblivion. Words were lost on them; mumbled syllables and grunted moans filled the air instead and never once did their gaze waver, never once did they lose the connection of their eyes.

"Now, Naruto! I'll-…!" Sasuke was lost in the frantic beat of their hearts, of their lovemaking – even if they didn't penetrate one another it felt like a deeper bond they shared. These thoughts catapulted him over the edge and all his breath left his lunges in a silent sigh.

His whole body bucked and his muscles tightened while his cock was shooting his load, pumping his balls empty.

Naruto followed not a second later, being enthralled by the angelic face beneath him. Sasuke was… beautiful, there was no other word big enough to describe him. Passionate in his orgasm, energetic in his bucking and at the same time calm and relaxed. To him, Sasuke was the fire – wild, untamed, hot and lifesaving; but when the flames were gone you were left with the warming embers, glowing in the night and warming you until the sun would rise again with her fire.

Those weren't Naruto's thoughts right now, though. Right now he was busy with spraying their bodies with his own cum as thick ribbons of his white cream shot out of the tip of his dick.

Naruto sank down onto Sasuke's chest, spent and tired, but happy like he'd never been before. He didn't want to say the lame 'Thank you' again, didn't want to end this like it was something normal and merely everyday's business. Because it wasn't; neither normal nor everyday's business. They could _make_ it a returning occurrence, though…

'_What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas_', Sasuke's voice echoed in his memory and Naruto's high spirits deflated. He hid his eyes behind his lids and pressed his mouth onto Sasuke's, determined to get as many kisses out of his nights as he could. He was sure the next day would bring reality back.

Sasuke returned the kiss with the same intensity and held Naruto close to his sprinkled chest. He wouldn't let go of the blond, no matter what. He would hold him tight the whole night, would bath him in his presence and would bath in the other's closeness at the same time. It was the first bond he had forged since he had been made an outlaw in his former school, and he would cherish it!

Tiredness came way too early for both of them, but they knew they had to at least dress again before they could fall asleep. Who knew when Hatake would come to let them out of the hall?

"Good night!" Sasuke yawned, pulling Naruto flush against him.

"Night, Sasuke," Naruto whispered tiredly, and finally added: "Thank you. For noticing me."

* * *

><p>Author's comment: I wrote this because someone asked me to do it. This goes out to you! ;) And to anyone else who read this - I love you all! 3 Sorry I didn't stick to the prompt stricter, though; it's just - they took me were they wanted to and all I had to do was to type like a lunatic. I rewrote large parts of this several times and can only hope it meets your expectations. :)<p>

Sorry for the melodrama at the end! It's unusual for me to end with such a depressive mood, but I promise to write the sequel soon! :)


	2. For Nothing

**Warning:  
><strong>So, I really need to warn you. This is dark. Darker than I have ever written - but I like how it came out. I had to show where Naruto comes from, what made him the way he is. So there is angst in Naruto's past, but please bear with me. I think the last paragraph makes up for it!

Warning: Mentions of violence, death, rape - NOTHING graphical or explicit!

* * *

><p><strong>Thank You…<strong>

Chapter 2 – …For Nothing

_A SasuNaru fanfic_

The next morning began rather unexpectedly – what was to be expected, because they had slept in the gym… Naruto had never slept that good, though. He could still feel Sasuke's warm presence behind him, curled around his body and holding him tight against his chest. The blond mewled contently.

But what really was unexpected was the fact that they were still locked into the tool shed and, if Naruto's sense of time wasn't totally off, they were supposed to be freed by now.

They could hear people running around on the school yard, for Christ's sake!

"HELLOOOOOO!" Naruto screamed, jumping up from the mattress and pounding against the gym door.

On their makeshift bed Sasuke stirred, abruptly being woken up by the yelling blond. "Nar-… Uzuma-… Usuratonkachi, shut the hell UP!"

Naruto's yelling and pounding came to an abrupt halt when he heard the familiar (and detested) 'nickname'. They were back to old standards far faster than he had hoped; he had expected no less, though… "_What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas._" Naruto could still hear Sasuke's voice; it had been spoken in a normal tone last night, conversational; but now, in his memory, it sounded like a curse.

"So I'm 'Usupatronchki' again, hu?" he asked lowly, his eyes hidden behind blond bangs.

"Hn." There was nothing more for the raven to say, it seemed. The boys stood in the sport hall, several meters apart and yet it felt too close for their comfort. What had happened last night was forgotten, almost as if it had never happened, and even if they had said all things would be forgotten as soon as they were freed, Naruto still felt bad and bereft.

A key being shoved into a lock interrupted the heavy silence in the gym and both boys turned to the opening door. They were met with the sight of a surprised young student teacher who promptly lost his keys.

"What are you two doing in here?" he asked, fighting for the semblance of authority – a fruitless undertaking when you were faced with the Uchiha-glare. And that was exactly what the poor guy got – the deathly Uchiha-prickintheass-I'mbetterthanyou-ice-glare at its finest.

Naruto gave the budding teacher a sympathetic grin, more forced than anything else, and followed Sasuke out of the gym. He wasn't in the mood for comforting words or even the attempt of an explanation. He wanted to get away from the gym, from other people, from school – and away from Sasuke's chilliness.

* * *

><p>"Stop following me around!" Sasuke yelled into Naruto's face as he left the school grounds, the blond nuisance still in tow. "I told you what happened in there would stay in there! I have no interest in spending time with you, or even sharing my air with you!"<p>

Naruto shot him a dark look, hiding his true feelings behind a mask of rage, and growled through clenched teeth. "I'm not following you around, teme! I want to go home and my bike is parked on the parking lot, obviously."

He pushed past the dark haired boy, mumbling a 'bastard' under his breath, and headed to his motor bike. He would skip the first lecture to go home, shower, brush his teeth and change clothes before he would return to school – if he'd return at all. His mood was as low as never before and it got to him already.

After having led the life he had, he wasn't cut out to feel rejected again. And that was how he felt; rejected, betrayed, been lied to. "Screw you, Vegas!" he grumbled before he put the helmet on and started the engine with a booming roar. He left the school without a look back; well, except the small glances into the rearview mirrors to check if Sasuke was looking at him. The bastard wasn't…

At the same time Sasuke headed to his car, climbing into the compact car and desperately NOT thinking of the last night and what it might mean for him.

The blond didn't mean anything; as did the night they had spent. It's not like they'd had a choice in the matter, they had been locked in after all. So they had made the best out of it and it was only normal for teenagers to act on their rioting hormones. So what? Naruto wasn't bad looking! He was a nuisance, yes. He was loud, energetic and shrill in every aspect of his life, but in the foremost he had been _available_! And he was gifted with his hands, that was for sure…

He was pretty sure Naruto wouldn't sell him out; the other had promised him not to tell anyone and if Sasuke knew one thing about the blond it was that he kept his word, almost obsessed with any trust that was put into him. He wouldn't betray this trust.

He'd gone through the 'coming out hell' once, he wouldn't do it again. He was fine without the stupid people at his school knowing of his preferences; he was fine without them interacting with him, at all. Okay, he had enjoyed what had happened in the shed, but that didn't mean he had liked it, did it?

Actually, it did… '_Damn!_' Sasuke thought, pounding his head against the steering wheel. He would NOT be affected by something like that! He refused!

"What am I doing?" the dark haired boy said out loud, still sitting in his car and actually talking to himself. He looked at his reflection in the rear view mirror and made a face before he schooled his features and put the stoic mask back in place; outward and inward. He felt more like himself immediately and finally managed to drive home.

* * *

><p>Naruto jumped out of the shower and turned to the fogged mirror above the sink. A squeaking sound accompanied his hand as he cleared some of the reflecting surface, looking at himself in the glass.<p>

He looked good; wet, but good. And he didn't look different from yesterday, despite the night he had spent with the Uchiha. Shouldn't there be any proof on him? Maybe frostbites or something, at least where the ice prince had touched him – so he would have had proof it really had happened and hadn't been a dream.

Usually, Naruto wasn't one who needed visual proof for something he had experienced, but you never knew with the Uchiha. His dark eyes held uncountable secrets – who said mind influencing abilities wasn't one of them?

The blond chuckled and dried himself before he left the bathroom to sift through his wardrobe for something to wear. Yesterday had been supposed to be laundry day, but thanks to Hatake he had been imprisoned, what in turn had prevented him from washing his dirty clothes.

After a few minutes of bustling cloth-hunting he was as far as he had been before – clad in nothing but his own, tan skin and slowly beginning to shiver from the cold that entered the room through the open window. Naruto tipped his chin and looked around in his room. There _had_ to be something to wear, right?

* * *

><p>Sasuke entered the school grounds just in time for the second lecture. A quick glance over the parking lot, and the absence of the orange bike that had been a thorn in his eye since day one, told him the blond hadn't returned yet; the sudden jump in his stomach must be relief.<p>

He made his way to his classroom where he could hear the chatter of the other students. When he opened the door the volume increased drastically, until the people inside could see who had appeared in the doorway.

Silence.

"Hn."

It had been the first time that Sasuke Uchiha was late for school and no one knew why this almost natural law-like fact had changed today; and then to be late for a whole lesson!

"Good morning, Sasuke!" the pink-haired pest named Sakura Something greeted him.

"You won't get sick, will you?" added the blonde boner killer Ino Somethingelse.

"-" Ah, praised silence. That must have been Hinata Hyuuga, the only girl who wasn't fangirling over him.

Sasuke didn't answer any of the flirtatious inquiries as he nearly strode to his seat. There he slouched down into his trademark "I'm bored but attentive"-posture. The teachers were sure he was actually paying attention (he didn't need to – he was a _genius_ after all) while he could think the things he really wanted to think; and they weren't necessarily what the teachers had in mind.

'_This is pointless. Why am I here? I should have stayed at home – they had locked me up in the gym for God's sake! With Naruto Uzumaki!_' Sasuke thought, his head resting on his folded arms while he waited for the next lesson to begin.

* * *

><p>Soft, creaky noises accompanied every single one of his steps as he hurried down the corridor. Yes, he was late, even for the second lesson, but it wasn't his fault he had been locked in the gym, right? The teacher would-…<p>

'_My second lesson today is with… Morino! Ibiki Morino! I'm fucked!_' Naruto wasn't really disturbed by the increasing use of exclamation points in his head; no, Mr. Morino was the problem! He would NOT understand why he was late. He wouldn't even care to listen to his excuse, would simply wave him of, write something in his notebook and would then proceed to ignore him for the rest of the lesson. What would cause a bad grade in class participation what would lead to a talk with the principal what would lead to a letter to his godfather he had been living with before he got his own, small apartment and that would lead to the loss of the apartment in the worst case…

His steps quickened until he was running through the halls as fast as he could, the creaking coming faster as well.

He rushed around a corner and nearly ran into a broad back in the middle of the floor. Naruto came to an abrupt halt, nearly toppling over, before he recognized the dark coat stretching over the muscular frame of the teacher. The Morino wasn't in class yet!

The blond stepped around the burly man who was enthralled in a book he was reading, not spending the slightest attention to his surroundings. Everything went smooth, until-

"WHAT?" '_Why, Sakura; why?_' Naruto thought and had to fight hard against the urge to bang his head against the opened door.

One second after the scream had cut through the air Ibiki looked up, his eyes falling onto the late student immediately. "Uzumaki – aren't you supposed to be IN class right now?"

"But… Mr. Morino, aren't you late, too?" Naruto scratched the back of his head, showing off one of his famous, sheepish grins. "I won't tell anyone if you keep the secret, too."

And before Mr. Morino could regain his senses Naruto had slipped into the classroom, silently closing the door behind him and toeing to his seat. Just as he had reached his chair and had sunken down on it the door opened again and Ibiki entered, a hidden smile on his lips and a bright glint in his eyes.

"Naruto! What the hell are you wearing?" The whisper had to be hearable in the whole classroom; Sakura had never been one for subtlety, after all.

The blond boy turned around and faced the pinkette, sheepish grin splitting his face in half. "It's laundry day!"

"And that makes you dress up like a dominatrix?" She looked like she was tempted to hit him over the head if the throbbing vein on her forehead was anything to go by. Naruto couldn't take his eyes off the pulsing bump, slowly being hypnotized by the constant beat of the blood running through the visible blood vessel. "I'm talking to you! Answer me, idiot!"

It was moments like these that made Naruto wonder why he had had a crush on this girl a few years ago. What had it been that had made him think he was attracted to the colorful girl? Definitely not her boobs; they were average, at best. Her skin was smooth and her face was nice to look at, but so were other girls' faces or skin. It had been the exceptional hair color, probably. Naruto had always felt different from the others, so that might have been what had attracted him to Sakura.

A hit against the back of his head got him out of his musings and he looked up into Mr. Morino's dark eyes. "Sorry, Mr. Morino," he mumbled, now turning around to face the front of the classroom again.

The lesson went over smoothly (except for Naruto slowly boiling in his seat and the constant creaking whenever he moved…) and Ibiki had let him take part of the discussions, too, so Naruto was in a relatively good mood when the class left for lunch break. He made it two steps out of the door before a determined fist grabbed his collar and pulled him back into the emptying room.

"Explain!" Sakura insisted, taking in the blond's appearance from head to toe.

Naruto sighed, facing the inevitable. "I told you, I need to do laundry!"

"And what is it with the dead cow you're wearing?"

Looking at the pinkette, Naruto shook his head and sighed again. It was getting warmer by the second and the first drops of sweat gathered on his forehead. He grabbed the zipper and unzipped it a little, letting at least a little bit of air easing the heated skin on his upper body.

THUNK!

Both, Naruto and Sakura, turned around and were met with the sight of an unconscious Hinata sprawled on the floor, her face beet red.

"Wha-?" Naruto didn't know what to make of this.

As Sakura turned back to Naruto and saw his exposed skin _she_ knew what had happened. "Naruto, why are you NAKED under your cow? You know what that does with Hinata!"

"Gimme a break, Sakura! You're naked under your clothes too, right?"

"I'm wearing a top, idiot! And something called bra; the thing that makes boobs stay in place, you know? Also known as underwear!"

Okay, it seemed like a good idea _not_ to tell Sakura of his lack in the underwear department in general right now… "Whatever, I AM wearing something!" A new diversionary tactic popped up in his head. "Shouldn't we take Hinata to the school nurse?"

"Naaa, she'll be okay. It happens all the time when you come out of the gym showers," she explained matter-of-factly. "Give her a few seconds and she's alive and kicking; as long as you cover your nakedness. Back to the topic at hand: Why IS there a nakedness to cover in the first place?"

"It was hot so I loosened the zipper and… Hey, you were here, you _know_ what happened!" He wouldn't give her the information she craved so much for without a fight, that was for sure!

A moan from the ground interrupted their discussion and Hinata got up, hurrying past them without looking at them. What was good, because Naruto hadn't bothered with zipping up again. Quite the contrary; he was now fanning cold air onto his heated, slightly sweaty skin.

"Naruto, would you PLEASE stop that and dress decently?" Sakura's pulsing vein had a comeback. "Speaking of which… You still haven't told me why you are wearing a dead cow!"

"Am I supposed to wear a living cow, Sakura, is it that? And would you _please_ stop addressing my bike gear as a dead cow?" He should have stayed at home, he had known it from the start. But what had he been supposed to do? All his clothes were sweaty and dirty, his bike leathers had been the last clothes that hadn't smelled like… something unpleasant.

And he liked this suit! It was cool, it looked dangerous and he could show off his toned body – what was wrong with that?

"You will go home. You will change. You will come back. I will excuse you in the other lessons. GO!"

Sakura's voice killed even the least idea of resistance and Naruto found his leather clad rear on his bike before he could think of anything else. It wasn't before he reached his destination that he remembered he didn't HAVE anything to change into. Sakura would have to excuse him for the whole day; not that Naruto had a problem with staying at home!

* * *

><p>Sasuke could tell when exactly the blond troublemaker had opened the door, even without having to look up from the speck on the floor that had held his gaze hostage for the last ten minutes. Sakura's cry of "WHAT?" had been a dead giveaway.<p>

It wasn't every day that Ibiki Morino was late for his own class. Well, it wasn't every day that he had started his school day in the gym instead of his home, so he wouldn't ponder too much about it.

But what _did_ raise his interest was Naruto's state of dress; or what the blond called clothing. Was that a-?

"Naruto! What the hell are you wearing?"

So Sakura was curious, too, hu? Well, Sasuke at least had an idea why exactly the Uzumaki was clad in skintight leather that revealed more than it hid, at least of the upper body of the blond. And Sasuke found himself pleased by the sight Naruto presented them with.

Too bad the blond paid attention not to speak too loud with Sakura, so he wouldn't get scolded by Ibiki or let others overhear the whispered conversation. It irked Sasuke, to say the least.

Not that he was interested in the blond or anything! Far from that! He was just curious if Naruto would keep his word and not tell others about what had happened in the gym. He and the pink girl were pretty close, as far as Sasuke knew, and he was concerned about Naruto letting slip something to one of his most rabid fangirls, that's all.

The whole class was reading a text Mr. Morino had handed them and so silence filled the classroom. Except the low creaking of Naruto's leather suit, and it grated on Sasuke's nerves. More than once he found himself willing to hiss at the blond, cursing him for causing such a noise when they were supposed to concentrate.

A quick look around told him he was the only one troubled by the almost sensuous whispering of leather gliding over leather, the low creaking the soft material was producing Naruto did as much as taking a deep breath.

Just as Sasuke was about to snap the school bell rang and the raven throw his things into his bag and rushed out of the classroom. He needed… space. Space between him and other people; one certain person exceptionally.

He didn't hear the talk Naruto and Sasuke had in the doorway, nor did he hear Hinata fainting. He didn't want to – he would go on with his solitary life like he had planned, would graduate, then search a university far away from both his family and this new school.

As an Uchiha he was bound to be alone and he was used to it. He may have abandoned his family and the name it brought onto him, but he couldn't abandon a whole life of training. And trained he was, trained in the way of the Uchihas. He was a lonesome cowboy, the dark shadow in the night, the hawk on the prowl. He was Sasuke Uchiha.

And he wasn't interested in Naruto Uzumaki. Not in the slightest – that had stayed in Vegas.

* * *

><p>"Is it me or does the doorbell sound more aggressive than it is supposed to be?" Naruto asked no one in particular.<p>

"Now that you mention it… It _does_ sound rather aggressive," the voice in his headset answered. "On the other hand – I don't know your doorbell that good. Maybe it's that aggressive every day? But I'm pretty sure the person _using_ the doorbell might be a little aggressive by now. Ramen, you should have opened the door five minutes ago!"

"Well, I'll have a look. AFK! And wish me luck!" The blond disentangled himself from the wires of his headset and padded barefooted to his apartment door, scratching his stomach and wondering who would be waiting on the other side of the wood.

It was Sakura's hand hitting his head, hard, that greeted him.

"**Where** have you been the whole day?"

"Ehm, here," the blond answered calmly, as if it had been obvious. Well, it really _was_ obvious! There had been no way he would return to school without something "decent" to wear – he hadn't planned on tempting fate and returning in his biker wear. Sakura's wrath was frightening!

"I don't think I told you to skip the whole school day, did I?"

"No, you didn't. But you _did_ tell me to change and I couldn't do that."

"You have changed now!"

"I have done the laundry as I told you I would, Sakura. To be more precise: The washing machine is working right now, as is the dryer. So I can return to school tomorrow in adequate attire – did you catch the alliteration? I could have said 'clean clothing', too!" Naruto's attention span hadn't improved since the day before. "I should be writing poems instead of going to school!"

"You should stop taking those drugs," Sakura muttered and pushed herself passed Naruto. The telltale sounds of a running washing machine sounded from the bathroom and the scent of softener filled the humid air. "You know how to iron?"

"Why yes!" Naruto struck a pose. "I'm the perfect houseman! I wash, I dry, I iron AND I know how to open beer bottles in 20 different ways. Perfect, I tell you!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, let them roam over the interior of the small apartment (which was surprisingly neat) and then returned to the small hall where Naruto was still standing at the open door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Martha." Then she disappeared down the corridor.

Naruto huffed and closed his door. "Martha, she says. Tsk!" Back at his computer he joined the animated chatting, announcing his return and starting to slaughter mindless mobs in the latest MMORPG he had joined.

Inexplicably, every single one of the mobs he killed looked a lot like a certain dark haired classmate with perfect skin and a body to die for…

* * *

><p>The next time the blond awoke he found himself where he used to wake up every day, in the same position he seemed to wake up every day – in his bed, curled inward and buried under his small blanket hill. It was warm and comfy, but he had slept better.<p>

'_Yesterday…_', he thought, remembering the feeling of a firm chest pressed against his back and warm breath fanning over his earlobe. Yesterday, waking up had been better. What had happened later – not so much. Why did Sasuke hate him so much again? They had had a _moment_! And he didn't mean the… thing… they had done. Well, that was a _moment_, too, but Naruto meant the conversation they had. Hadn't they built a bond of some sort?

Pretty one sided, it seemed. But Naruto wasn't known as someone who gave up that soon. He would win Sasuke over, no matter the cost! He would show the raven that they had a bond worth to fight for, even if it was still weak and fresh. Naruto had been alone his whole life – he wouldn't tolerate that Sasuke would experience the same, not even for the rest of the school year!

With this new determination Naruto jumped out of his bed and skipped into the bathroom, already thinking about a plan to get the raven to talk.

When he reached the school's parking lots he soon found Sasuke's car parked on its usual, shadowy spot. Speeding up to the silver car he shot into the slot next to it and kicked down his kickstand, flashing Ino a broad grin that she couldn't see behind his tinted visor. Ino, who just had tried to park her purple car next to Sasuke's. Ino, whose face turned an interesting shade of red while her mouth screamed bloody murder.

Naruto took his helmet off, still grinning like an idiot, and dismounted his bike with a swing of his leg. Content with how his plan worked out even in the early state, he turned to the school building and hurried down the corridors.

After having skipped a whole day of school it wouldn't do any good to be late the next day, again.

When Naruto dashed around a corner he saw the door to his classroom gaping wide open and a small sigh of relief escaped his throat. He slowed down and strode the last steps into his class – no need to show the other's he had been in a hurry.

There was one disadvantage, though. Before he could enter the classroom he was tackled by something heavy. Before he could react small fists rained down on him, thumping on his back and yelling unintelligibly.

"Asshole! Blond idiot! Dead last! Usupro- ah, you know what I want to say!"

Naruto fought and struggled until he managed to turn around. He found himself with a lap full of raging Ino who now hit his chest again and again, seemingly uncaring of her surroundings and the alienated looks she earned.

"Ino?" Tenten asked cautiously, avoiding the blond's fists and dragging her off the flabbergasted Uzumaki.

"Leggo o' me!" The Yamanaka girl was hopping mad and tried to get to Naruto again, flames burning in her eyes.

"Ino, what's wrong?" The brunette, a year older than the rest of the class because she had to repeat the class, threw a bewildered glance at Naruto, who still hadn't said anything, and turned back to the blond girl. "Has he cheated on you? Have you seen him screw another girl? That asshole! I didn't know you were together, why didn't you tell me?"

Tenten began to get caught up in the whole cheating thing and Naruto decided to retreat.

"You stay where you are, asshole!"

"Bu- Tenten! I haven't cheated on anyone!" Naruto complained, his eyes wide with shock. "Ino, tell here we aren't a couple!"

"The hell you are! She dumps you here and now!" Tenten was fuming.

That brought Ino back to her senses and she looked up, brushing her hair out of her face and focusing on the brunette. "Don't be stupid, Bun head! We weren't an item," the blonde muttered low enough to only be heard by Tenten and Naruto. "As if I was interested in _him_!"

The feeling was mutual, but the words hurt, the tone even more so. Naruto's gaze darkened, his blue eyes dulled and he stood up, slowly trotting to his desk. He knew he wasn't the best looking guy in their school; not with Sasuke as a competition ('_Maybe a close second…_' – that thought made the blond chuckle darkly). And he knew he wasn't the most popular guy for sure; not with his background and the others' fear he would snap one day, when everything got too much to bear.

And yet the words hurt more than he would let on. Since no one was looking at him – everyone was distracted by Ino and her acting skills – he didn't need to put on his cheerful smile, didn't need to wear the mask that would fool everyone. His blond mop of hair shadowed his eyes and so no one would see the single tear Naruto allowed to be spilled.

When he sat down in his seat and raised his head to the blackboard, every sign of his earlier depression was gone and the determination was back in his sparkling blue eyes. He had a goal! He had someone who had been interested in who he was, even if it had just been on a whim.

Sasuke wasn't like all the other people in his class! He hadn't known him for years, he didn't know what he had gone through in the different children's homes and foster families he had seen in his life. Sasuke was new; there he could risk a new start. He just had to make Sasuke see behind the wall of lies and fear around him!

Speaking of him… Where was Sasuke?

* * *

><p>Sasuke was rather surprised when Ino had jumped Naruto in the doorway, screaming bloody murder. He winced as Naruto's head connected hard with the ground and the blonde on his back worked on his back, her small fists playing a staccato on his ribcage.<p>

What might be the reason for the girl to hate Naruto that much to forget the well built image she had in the class? They couldn't…

"Has he cheated on you?" Why was it always one of the girls who gave him clues at what had happened?

But how could Naruto possibly have cheated on Ino when he was gay? Naruto had _told_ him he was gay! In the tool shed! It hadn't been two days ago that he had confessed in him, had even claimed it wasn't a big deal!

Oh my God – it was HIM! Sasuke was 'the other woman'! He was the one Naruto had cheated with on Ino!

And here the idiot was, being hit by his (now supposedly ex-)girlfriend while Tenten cheered her on and looked like she wasn't far from hitting Naruto herself.

In the back of his mind Sasuke wondered if he was supposed to feel sympathy for Naruto, but the best part of his brain was determined to hate the blond for being lied to.

' _No big deal my ass!_' Sasuke thought, grabbing his bag and storming out of the class. '_I won't be 'the other woman', Naruto. I won't be any woman! Neither yours, nor anyone else's!_' With all the commotion the two blondes and the pinkette were causing, his absence wouldn't even be registered. All that mattered to him was that he had been right.

Right in not coming out of the closet, right in not socializing with his classmates and most of all right in mistrusting and maybe even hating Naruto. He had had a weak moment with the boy – it wouldn't happen a second time.

* * *

><p>The rest of the week Naruto was treated like shit, from guys and girls alike. When before he had had at least some buddies amongst the guys, they now had stopped talking to him at all. Kiba was the only one who waved to him, shooting him apologetic glances and texting him when no one else looked, but even he couldn't muster the courage to stand up against the tight reign of Tenten and Ino.<p>

What hurt Naruto the most was that Sakura avoided him, too. He had thought they were close, that they trusted each other, but Ino was a frightening enemy to have. When she wanted you to be hated, she knew how to do just that!

It would be way easier if Naruto had had the balls to come out of the closet for everyone to know. Sasuke was the only one he had confessed to so far, and he was sure the raven wouldn't spill his secret; if only to keep his own secret.

Sasuke was another topic Naruto didn't like to think about. More than once he had tried to talk to the Uchiha, had tried to corner him and ask him why he had been so cold and rejecting the morning after they had spent the night in the gym. The raven on the other hand didn't seem too enthusiastic to talk about their imprisonment; he even refused to take Naruto's side when they had had sports the next time after having been forgotten by their teacher.

"Mr. Hatake!", the blond's voice cut through the sports hall. "Don't you think you forgot something the other day?"

"Ah, I know exactly what you're talking about, Naruto. And I want to thank you for your concern, but I remembered to bring my book, so there's nothing to worry about!" The man waved an orange novel in the teen's face as if to prove his point.

"I'm not talking about your porn, perv!" Naruto screamed, his face flushing in anger. "You locked us up! Sas- The bastard and I were in here the whole night!"

Kakashi cocked his head to the side and looked suspiciously at Naruto. "I hope you haven't demolished something?" Naruto seethed. "No? Okay, then everything's fine, right? I mean, it looks like no one died, so please join the others while they limber up."

Naruto spun around and started his laps around the gym, still fuming and mumbling under his breath. All Sasuke had done was standing impassively in a corner and watching the whole theater. The Uzumaki wasn't sure who he hated more right now…

"Naruto!" Said boy spun around and searched excitedly for the person who had ignored his pariah-state and wanted to talk to him. His mood fell immediately as his searching gaze found the white hair that adorned his godfather's head.

"Hi Jiraiya…" Naruto mumbled crestfallen.

"Hey Tadpole!" The giant man ruffled Naruto's hair and dragged him into a tight hug. Naruto found himself enjoying the rough, but loving treatment against his will. It was nice to have one person who liked you, no matter what other people thought. "What's wrong?"

Jiraiya's heavy hand on his shoulder led him out of the school building and out to the parking lots. Next to Naruto's Honda CBR600 stood Jiraiya's Yamaha V-Star, complete with duffel bag and other travelling gear.

"Let's just say it's a bit harder than it used to be," Naruto said belatedly and took his godfather's appearance in. "What's with all the luggage?" he asked suspiciously, glaring as an idea struck his brain. "You're about to disappear again, aren't you?" He felt betrayed.

"Come on, Tadpole, don't be like that!" The impressive man leaned against his bike and pointed at the boy he saw as his own son. "You're old enough to take care of yourself. You are nearly nineteen years old, you're good in school, you have friends. I made you a bank account where I will transfer enough money for you to finish school and cover your daily needs and I will be back for your graduation."

Naruto looked up into his smiling face with ill-concealed sadness. He was abandoned, once again. And this time it hurt even more, because Jiraiya was the closest he had to family. "Have fun," he said lowly and turned around to return to his class.

Jiraiya looked after the retreating boy who didn't even try to hide his feelings. "Naruto!"

The blond stood still, waiting for the older man to say whatever it was he had to say. He didn't really care anymore; he was alone and he would get used to it – it wasn't the first time, after all.

"I'm not abandoning you, Tadpole! Whenever you need me, you can call me and I'll be there faster than you can spell 'Rasengan'. And in the meantime Iruka will be there."

Jiraiya had waited before he had mentioned this name, and now he knew why. Naruto spun around and the light thought to be lost returned, even brighter than before if that was possible.

"Iruka is here?"

"Yes, he is. I wrote his address on a note and put it in your luggage box – spend him a visit if you want!" And before he had finished his sentence the blond was in his arms and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry for earlier, Jiraiya! It's just… I have a bad week and… Well, have fun, okay? And call sometimes!"

Jiraiya nodded and hold the boy tight. "You'll see – it will be good for you to have me out of your way! And for the time being I have put your 'brother' as a substitute guardian for my absence. Meaning whenever you fuck up you will have to put up with Iruka!"

Naruto gulped, but smiled nonetheless. "Na, that's fine. Thanks again, Old Perv! I thought I wouldn't see him again since he left the last children's home when he was old enough…"

The mood was back to normal and Naruto couldn't wait to go see Iruka again. So it came that, as soon as Jiraiya had left for his journey, Naruto sprinted back into the school building and to his locker. There he took his bag and his helmet and ran back to his bike – screw school, he had to visit his almost-brother!

* * *

><p>"Naruto, wha-"<p>

"IRUUUKAAAAA!" Naruto flung himself at the man, clinging to his neck and barely holding back tears of joy. "I haven't thought I'd see you again!"

"Hey, I'm glad to see you again, too, little brother!" Iruka wheezed, fighting for air. "But shouldn't you be at school right now?"

"I've been there the whole week – what's the point in being there now?"

"Naruto…"

"Yeah, I know… 'Education is the first step on the way to a better life'. But I couldn't wait to see you! It's been hell, Iruka, and I simply needed a break from that shit!"

"Okay, for once I will let it go. And now come in and tell me what you've been up to in the last eight years!"

It took several hours of catching up before they were up to date. The two young men sat at the kitchen table, chatting away the day and sharing both old memories and new experiences.

"So, who's this Uchiha you're so determined to befriend, hu?" Iruka asked in the early evening, stirring in a pot of homemade ramen.

"Hu? Ah, him." Naruto scratched the back of his neck, looking at the ceiling. "He changed to our school this year and is mainly an prissy Prince with an ice prick shoved up his ass-"

"Language, Naruto!"

"Ups, sorry. Well, he's an as-… an antisocial person. But he's the only one who doesn't know the stories they tell about me. And he's the only one who knows that I'm… Well, I'm gay."

Iruka looked at him, the surprise clearly written on his forehead. "Oh, I didn't… I didn't know that," he said, but smiled reassuringly. "But how should I? The last time I saw you you were ten years old."

Naruto sighed in relief and continued to tell Iruka about Sasuke. He wouldn't tell him that Sasuke was gay too, though – he had given his word. Oh, yes, and it stayed in Vegas…

"So he knows that I'm gay; I told him about it when we were locked up in the gym after we both had detention. And I somehow thought we kinda had a bond or something."

"Naruto, you tend to speak rather vaguely, you know? 'Somehow', 'kinda', 'something' – what about you ask him?"

"I can't! I would, but since the Ino-incident no one in my class talks to me."

"What about your friends?"

Naruto shot Iruka a sad glance. "What friends, Ruka? They only friends I have are online and I know nothing about them, except their screen names. That's what you get for being the 'firebug'."

"You aren't the firebug, Naruto! You are Naruto Uzumaki, a good looking guy with a heart of gold and that's what they'll learn soon enough! You just start with that Sasuke guy and they'll see who you are."

It was good to talk with Iruka; Naruto could remember all the nights he had spent with the older boy, cuddled up with him in the other's bed when nightmares and older children had made Naruto's nights a nightmare in itself.

"Thank you, Ruka!" Naruto sniffed. "I'll go home now, I think. I'll see you next week, okay?"

Iruka nodded and led Naruto to the door. "And don't hesitate to call me whenever you need someone, okay?"

Naruto nodded, mounted his bike and sped the few kilometers to his own apartment, content with the new situation he was in. Jiraiya gave him enough room to unfold his own personality, Iruka was back in his life to lead him whenever he struggled and Sasuke was someone Naruto could see at his side, be it as lover or as friend. And he would show the world what it had missed – the great Naruto Uzumaki!

* * *

><p>"… great Naruto Uzumaki! Leave a message!"<p>

Sasuke snorted and pushed his cell phone closed. Stupid blond with an even stupider mailbox message… And why had it to be him who had to work on that stupid assignment? An assignment for P.E.! That was just absurd!

"And, got lucky?" The grey haired man looked far too chipper.

"No," Sasuke grit out while his glare promised certain death.

"So it's settled! You work with Naruto since he hasn't had the possibility to choose a one man task. I'm sure you two will be able to get together over the weekend. I'll give you his address!"

The Hatake skipped over to his bureau, his eyes in their trademark upturned-u shape and giving away the teacher's good mood. "There you go, Sasuke. Have fun and send Naruto my best regards!"

"I'm sure he will be ecstatic!" Sasuke's mood darkened with every passing second. As soon as he left the gym Hinata was crying because of his screaming and Udon, a guy in the year after them, sat trembling in the corner of the shower room, as pale as the tiled wall behind him.

"Sasuke!"

'_What have I done to deserve this?_' Sasuke thought and had to fight HARD not to bury his head in his hands. His face betrayed nothing as he turned around and waited for Ino who ran up to him.

"Ino, what do you want?"

"I wanted to know if… You know… Weekend is coming up and I wondered if… Maybe you want to go out with me?" Was that shy glance supposed to turn him on?

"I don't think that's the right thing to do, Ino. You just came out of a relationship with Naruto and-"

"What? No! I mean…" Sasuke could practically _hear_ the wheels turn in Ino's head. She would play the pity card… "It's a hard time for me and I hoped you would take my mind off things."

There was silence, and it stretched between them. Until: "Ino, I'm not free this weekend, nor am I free in the next years. Please refrain from asking me out again."

The raven turned around and headed for his car. School was over for today and he didn't plan on spending more time in there than absolutely necessary. He would go to Naruto's, drag him out of whatever and finish the stupid assignment so he could go back to his sacred solitude. He didn't need anyone.

* * *

><p>"Sasuke, wha-" To say Naruto was surprised to find the Uchiha in front of his door was an understatement. "What are you doing here?"<p>

"Don't you want to invite me in?" Sasuke asked in an acid tone.

"Oh, so you **are** a vampire and can't enter my apartment as long as I don't invite you in, right?" Naruto's grin was far too bright to be healthy. So Sasuke hn'ed and pushed his way inside.

"Hey, that wasn't an invitation, revenant!"

Naruto found his 'guest' standing in the living room. "Oh, I see. So you can enter an apartment but you can't sit down until you are asked to?" The blond snickered. "Well, sit down, Sasuke."

And as if to humor him Sasuke sank down on the comfy couch, hardly trying (and failing) not to feel welcome and homey. "Can I bring you something? Water, coffee, tea…?"

"Coffee is fine, black."

Naruto made his way into the kitchen and prepared two cups of coffee, wondering the whole time why the hell Sasuke Uchiha sat on his couch. "So, Sasuke," he called. "What brings you here?"

"Hatake." The Uchiha didn't seem to be willing to share his information without a fight.

"Ah, I see. And that is why?"

"Because you skipped class, Usuratonkachi!"

"I still don't see the connection, Sasuke. You could spare us a lot of time and irritation if you'd just tell me why you are sitting on my couch and being an asshole."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "Me? An asshole? And that coming from the man who not only cheats on his girlfriend, with another man at that; but lies to both his girlfriend and the other guy? You're fast with who you call an asshole, idiot!"

Naruto, who just had returned to the living room with two cups of coffee, stood in the door frame as if struck by lightning. The cups slipped from his hands, spilling the dark hot beverage onto the light carpet and shattered on the ground.

"I did what?"

Sasuke took in the dumbfounded appearance of his classmate, secretly enjoying to have gotten to him so deep. Served him right – not only butchering his weekend with that stupid assignment but having lied to him after playing good friend in the shed.

"You think I didn't know, Usuratonkachi?" Enter Uchiha smirk. "I heard everything, idiot. Ino's tantrum the other day was pretty spectacular, wasn't it? Everyone is talking about it! How you kept your relationship a secret and nobody knew about it; not even Sakura who was close to both of you.

Oh, they understand why _Ino_ wanted to keep it a secret – you're not the most famous guy, hu? But everyone thought you to be the one who'd preen yourself with your busty girlfriend.

And then there's the dirty secret about you being gay… Not that you were, but I'm sure it would make a great rumor, don't you think?"

Sasuke's smirk grew with every word he said while he watched Naruto crumble. Served him right for making Sasuke think things could change with the new school.

"That isn't true…" Naruto whispered, eyes wide as saucers but empty and dull, his whole body shaking and quivering while he searched hold on the door frame as if his knees would give in any second. "That isn't true! None of it is!"

"What's wrong, Naruto? Does the truth hurt?" Sasuke had a field day.

"None of them tell the truth!" The blond began to hyperventilate. He knew of the stories the other students told about him. About what had happened in his foster families, about the fire incident, his nickname and everything. The stories may have been exaggerated, but they all had a true core. What they told now wasn't true – and the truth was the only thing Naruto had believed in for his whole life.

It was the truth that he had had parents who had loved him that kept him alive when the nights were dark and no one was there to hear the cries. It was the truth that Jiraiya had saved his life the day he had returned to get his godson that had given Naruto the strength to rediscover who he was.

And now those lies took the only thing from him that had given him the strength to go on.

"That isn't the truth!" Naruto once again whispered and then he fell.

* * *

><p>Sasuke saw Naruto's lips move, but he couldn't hear the words the blond was mumbling. He saw the shivering, the cramped hands, the shaking legs and the rapid rise and fall of the chest. To the boy's feet the puddle of coffee spread out and soaked more and more of the cream colored carpet.<p>

Suddenly something was off and Sasuke couldn't see watch the dark liquid spreading anymore – legs, clad in orange sweatpants, blocked his view, then an upper body. Naruto had fallen to his knees, than toppled over and now lay sprawled out on the floor, no longer moving.

The Uchiha jumped up and rounded the coffee table, sinking down next to Naruto and turned him around. The blond's face had turned a sickening shade of blue and he wasn't breathing. Sasuke began to panic, trying to remember what he had learned in the First-Aid course he had done for his driver's license but his mind drew a blank.

"Breathe, idiot! Breathe!" Then it hit him. Breath! Sasuke brought his lips down to Naruto's opened mouth, then pinched his nose shut and covered Naruto's mouth with his own. A short memory of their shared kisses two nights before flashed in the raven's mind, but the image was displaced by Naruto's bluish face and his unmoving body.

Sasuke drew a breath through his own nose, then slowly exhaled through his lips, forcing the air down into Naruto's lungs. The blond's ribcage rose and sank down, but he didn't start to breathe on his own. "Come on, breathe!" Once again Naruto's lips were covered by Sasuke's and he breathed for them both; one time, two times, three times.

Finally, Naruto's eye lids fluttered open and he looked around, confused and disoriented. He tried to speak, but his mouth was covered by something soft and warm and his eyes focused on Sasuke's face. Sasuke's face that was way too close to be considered normal.

Panic-fueled he pushed the raven away and sat up, holding his head to stop the room from turning.

"What happened?" he asked in a weak voice.

"You fainted," Sasuke answered, but there was no amusement in his voice. The Uchiha had been worried sick and he still didn't know what exactly had caused the blond to black out.

"But why would I-" Then the memories returned and Naruto stared at Sasuke, the horror back in his streaming eyes. "Lies…" he whispered, crawling away from his classmate. "Lies!"

Naruto jumped up onto his shaking legs, ignoring the weak state he was in and pointed at his door. "Out!" he yelled, tears streaming down his cheeks and blurring his sight, breathing heavily. He felt like he couldn't get enough air into his lungs, but he didn't care. Sasuke had to go, that was all he cared for. "GET OUT!"

"No." Sasuke's voice was calm – way calmer than he felt – and he rose. He stood next to Naruto and crashed him into a tight hug, this way preventing the blond from hitting him. He led them both to the couch and sank down into the cushions, dragging Naruto down with him.

"Calm down!" he tried to reach the struggling boy in his arms, tried to get him to listen. "Please, Naruto!" And as if he had used an incantation all resistance left Naruto's body and he caved in like a house of cards. The blond lay in the other teen's arms, weak, drowned in tears and still crying.

And the first time in his life Sasuke felt like an asshole himself. '_Bastard indeed_', he thought bitterly and pulled Naruto closer. "Shhhhh!" he cooed lowly and drew soothing circles on the other's back. "I'm here. I'm here for you."

Teary eyes found his own and Sasuke was shocked at the deep emptiness he saw there – that wasn't Naruto! "You're here?" he heard a small, quivering voice. He nodded and brought one of his hands to Naruto's face. He brushed away the tears with feather light strokes, then pressed a light kiss onto both damp cheeks.

"I'm here, Naruto."

As soon as Naruto heard his name rolling from Sasuke's tongue for the second time, his heart found back to its usual rhythm and his whole body shut down. He fell asleep the instant the raven had tightened his hold around him again, his head resting on Sasuke's chest and his ear pressed against his ribcage, listening to the calming beat of the other's heart. "You're true…" was the last thing he said before exhaustion claimed its price.

* * *

><p>Sasuke still was there when Naruto woke up. They still lay on the sofa, the blond tight against the raven's now tear soaked shirt and a small, shy smile settled on Naruto's face.<p>

"Thank you for having stayed, Sasuke," he uttered, his voice hoarse.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I really am," Sasuke stated in a tone that made clear he didn't apologize very often. "I said things I didn't know anything about and… that was uncalled for. I should've asked you before I said something like that and… I hope you can…"

"It's okay, Sasuke! You don't have to say sorry – you suck at that, you know?" Naruto found himself in a better mood than he himself had expected after a breakdown like this one, but he blamed Sasuke's presence.

"Hn."

"Whew, I feel better now that you're back to normal!"

"You should ask ME! **I** feel better, now that you're back to normal!"

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry! Comes with being in the wrong children's homes and stuff," Naruto explained calmly. But despite feeling better now he hadn't left his place on Sasuke's chest.

A fact Sasuke had noticed, too.

"You don't happen to feel comfy down there, do you?"

"Why yes, I do indeed!"

"Well, since we're both here and you are comfy and everything… Would you mind telling me why I just had to give you mouth to mouth after you have spilled two cups of coffee on the carpet?"

"Oh my God, the coffee!" Without a warning Naruto jumped up, hitting Sasuke in a rather delicate part of the male anatomy along the way, and hurried in the kitchen, soon coming back with a damp cloth. "The Old Perv will kill me!" he whined, rubbing at the dark stain. "Wait! He doesn't have to find out! Sasuke, you'll pay for the carpet cleaning!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto amusedly, but nodded. "Deal; but you have to tell me what happened, okay?"

Naruto didn't look too enthusiastic, but nodded nonetheless. He let the cloth fall down onto the ground and padded back to the couch, resuming his place on Sasuke's chest and beginning to draw abstract designs onto his flat, shirt-clad stomach.

"Promise me you'll stay?"

"There's no one waiting for me at home, Naruto," Sasuke took the time to enjoy the name rolling from the tip of his tongue. "I'll stay as long as you'll have me."

"Keep that in mind, Sasuke…"

* * *

><p>All he could see was flashing light and a lot of people around him. People he didn't know. People that scared him. And it was loud! Loud and hot, the blinding light in his back nearly burning him. Where were his parents? They had to save him, they always did? And they were the one who told him not to play with fire – and that was what was burning him from behind!<p>

A foreign person picked him up from the ground where he had lain, aching and scared. "Shhh, little one, it's alright!" Naruto didn't know the voice, but he knew the words and they calmed him down. Soon his mother would come, his mother with the beautiful red hair, and she would take him and sing to him until he would laugh with her. And then his father would take him, his unbelievably strong father who could move whole houses if he wanted to. And he would make him fly, fly like all the birds and the angels in the sky. And they would laugh until the sun went down and it was time for the next song and for Naruto to sleep while his parents sang to him. He couldn't wait for his parents to appear.

It was time for them. Naruto didn't want to be hugged by this stranger anymore. He wanted to smell his mother's shampoo, wanted to hear his father's laugh whenever he burped. Naruto was good, he burped extra often and extra loud for his father!

But he couldn't see his parents now; there were no beautiful red haired women and no strong blond men. There was noise, there was flashing light and screams; it scared him and he began to cry. He called for his parents to get him, to take him home again. He didn't want to go to the park anymore, he wanted to be in his parent's bed, lying between them where no one would be able to come for him.

His parents never came.

###############

"And who are you, little bug?" The red haired woman looked nice, but they all did; Naruto wouldn't fall for a pretty face anymore. Though the hair reminded him of someone he once has loved – in a time when he had been able to feel this kind of emotion.

"Naruto," he answered shortly while the man who had brought him here handed the woman a folder.

"That's Naruto Uzumaki. He has lost his parents in a car accident; the details are in his file."

"Thank you, Mr. Ebisu, I'll take things from here." The young woman took Naruto's hand and dragged him to the door of the building. "I'm Tayuya, but you can call me Tay. I'll show you where you'll sleep until we find a new family for you." Not once left the smile her face while Mr. Ebisu, the youth welfare officer who had brought him here, could see them.

As soon as the door opened children's voices were heard, chatter and laughter, and Naruto found himself hoping that this time, it wouldn't be hell on earth. The door fell into the lock behind them and Naruto turned to the red haired lady next to him, fighting for one of his own smiles.

It kept stuck in his throat as he saw the grimace Tayuya made at him as if he was something disgusting that one would find behind the trash cans. "Let go of my hand, dirt bag!" She pushed him in the direction where the voices were coming from. "There's your place; get out of my eyes!"

The woman turned around and let him stand in the hallway. Naruto didn't wait for someone else to come, spun around and run back to the doors. He wouldn't stay where this woman was!

He rattled at the door, but the door knob wouldn't budge and the door didn't open. A sadistic laughter made him spin around again and he saw an orange haired, fat man standing at the foot of a stair. "Don't you like it here, scum?"

Naruto panicked. He dashed to the door where the other children were, hoping to find shelter in the masses. When he saw the looks on the faces that greeted him, he knew it wouldn't be the slightest better than in the last children's home. They were broken and shut, empty eyes and bruises.

'_Home sweet home_' 

The nights were the worst. Every time one of the children would make a sound one of the 'childcare workers' would come into the dorm and take one of the children in the next bed to the troublemaker. None of them would talk about what happened while they were away, but it sure worked to keep the children quiet. You did not want to be the next one who was caught and taken with them, only to return back broken and mute, so you took care of your neighbors – they wouldn't make a sound; not, when you could suppress it.

It worked out for Naruto. He had only one neighbor, and that boy was ten years older than him. He was one of the eldest, and he was the only one who hadn't been broken by the 'Sound Four', the caretakers who worked in the 'Soundfactory'.

He sported an eye-catching scar cutting across his nasal bone, but the most noticeable feature about the boy were his eyes – eyes full of the love every single one of the children in this hole craved so much.

It must have been in his second month that one of the kids in the dorm had screamed because of a bad dream. Jirobo, the fat man from the first day, waltzed into the room, grabbed a 14 year old girl and dragged her out on her hair. She screamed and kicked out, fought against him as if her life depended on it. The next day would show – her life **had** depended on it; she never came back. The Sound Four told them she had found a family who took her, but since not once in his eight weeks there Naruto hadn't seen a single couple walking down the corridor of the Factory, he knew what had happened. He may haven't been older than seven years, but it hadn't been the first time he had seen something like this…

The next night was the hardest night he had ever spent in a children's home. His tears, unshed and swallowed down, seemed to drown him and he fought with everything he had. He wouldn't cry, not in front of all the other kids who would make his life even worse than it already was. And he wouldn't make a sound; he wouldn't become the murderer of Iruka, just because he couldn't calm down enough. He sobbed soundlessly, muffling his snuffles with his stained cushion.

"Hey, Naru!" That was Iruka's voice next to his ear, his warm breath ghosting over his face. "Move to the side!" Naruto looked up, still sobbing silently, and begging Iruka to help him. He didn't know if he would be able to hold in his horror for much longer. As he didn't react as desired Iruka picked him up and took him over to his own bed, pushing him against the wall. Then he slipped under Naruto's blanket and scooted closer to the shivering child, burying his hand in the golden mop of hair and massaging his scalp. "It's okay! I'm here, Naruto!" 

Iruka couldn't be there forever. When he turned eighteen, he left the 'Soundfactory'. He didn't want to, he tried to stay in the children's home since he was the only protection the children had, but the administration wouldn't let him.

He went to the police, pressed charges against every single one of the adults at the Factory, but it was of no avail. The examinations of the institution went smoothly and not one of the children dared to say something. Not one of them, except Naruto. He told the police what had happened in the last years he had been there, told them about the missing girl, the bruises and the bloody blankets, the children who would sleep with their back pressed against the wall or tucked in their blankets so that not a single part of them was visible. The police officer listened to him, nodded, smiled and turned around. Then he went upstairs to "talk to Mr. Oto". Yeah, they talked. Nothing happened. But Naruto didn't spend the night in the dorm, neither the next one. He didn't sleep at all; and when he did, he pushed his aching backside against the wall and tried to vanish into the rough bricks.

Two weeks later, the whole building burned down; all children could flee, but the staff had been trapped in the upper levels where the bureaus had been. It seemed like some heavy cabinets had toppled over and blocked the way out when the explosion had shaken the house.

There weren't any proofs, but Naruto had been called the 'firebug' ever since.

###############

"That's Naruto Uzumaki. He has lost his parents in a car accident; the details are in his file."

"Thank you, Mr. Ebisu. I'll take over from here."

Once again Naruto was passed over from Mr. Ebisu's hands to the loving care of a stranger. The youth welfare service had found a foster family who would take him for the money they got from the state.

Naruto followed his new 'mother' into the kitchen, where a white haired man was sitting at the table. "That's the new pest?" he asked bored, not looking up from his newspaper.

"That's Naruto, honey. I'll show him his room."

"Whatever!"

The boy was surprised. He actually got a room all for himself! It was small and dusty, but it had a bed, an own closet and – probably the most important item – a door. "I like it," he whispered and sat down on the bed.

"I'm glad you do!" the woman exclaimed and left him to get accustomed to his new surroundings. Naruto didn't know that his new parents were about to read his file. He didn't know they were about to learn about the fire in the children's home. He would find out, though; the very next day, when the polite lady from yesterday wouldn't even talk to him and every look she threw him was filled with fear. Her husband was different, though.

"So, 'firebug', hu? Who'd have thunk?" Naruto's eyes grew wide, but he didn't dare to speak. He knew the look on the man's face; he knew to expect pain. "As long as we'll keep you away from the matches we should be save, hu? But that doesn't apply for you, little firebug."

Piercing pain set Naruto's cheek on fire and his head snapped to the side. A shrill cry tore through the air as the woman in the kitchen shrieked and the boy's stinging skin made his eyes water and his lips quiver, but he didn't give in to the need to cry – he had learned the hard way where that led to.

It didn't get better over the next months. Naruto was degraded to be the house slave. His best time was in school where the other children would let him be on his own. But whenever he came 'home', the horror began anew.

Mizuki, the blond's foster father, began to drink and soon lost the last inhibitions. It wasn't only Naruto who got beat, but Tsubaki, Mizuki's wife. She left her husband and abandoned Naruto without second thought. And Mizuki blamed Naruto.

"Come here, firebug!", he prattled one evening, his breath rich of alcohol and smoke. "We have something in common, you know? We both lost our loved ones. But I have something that reminds me of her, you know? I have memories, how I fucked her! I have a ring on my finger, the things in this house! But I feel sorry for you…"

His voice got low and almost loving. "You have nothing to remind you who your parents were. I read your file, you see? I read how they died. I know they died because of you. You were the one who wanted to go to the park, right? They wouldn't have gone if it weren't for you… And I read about the fox thing under the hood. I want you to remember, too!"

Without any warning he had grabbed Naruto and dragged him closer, pinning him down on the kitchen table with his heavy body. He fixed the boy's face with his strong fist and brought a knife onto the child's skin. "I want you to remember, who the fox is!"

Naruto passed out from the pain, the fear, the screams and the blood loss. But it took too much time for him to go over the edge, it took too long to reach blissful darkness. The salt in tears burns in open wounds.

############### 

"That's Naruto Uzumaki. He has lost his parents in a car accident; the details are in his file."

"I know who that is, idiot! Naruto, come here! What have they done to you?"

Naruto stood next to Mr. Ebisu; a man he never wanted to see again. But he didn't want to see the man who would most likely be his next tormentor, either. So he didn't open his eyes, hadn't opened them once since Mizuki had lacerated his face.

Instead he listened to some radio news talking about the hottest 10th October in the known history; it didn't matter to him.

"Naruto, please. Talk to me!" The voice was dark; dark, soothing and warm. Naruto was tempted to look, was tempted to give his life one last chance to make amends for what it had done to him, but he was too afraid by now. He couldn't remember when the last time had been that someone had smiled at him; not since Iruka was gone.

"Oh my God, Naruto!" There was a new voice. A loving voice, a voice he knew. A voice he had thought he'd never hear again. He tore open his eyes, but couldn't see anything because he hadn't used his eyes for so long. But he still had that voice in his ear and tears flew freely.

"Ruka!" he screamed, hoping for the other to find him, to hold him close and take the world away from him. "RUKA!"

Then his world was filled with a familiar scent and he was held close, foreign tears dampening his hair as the brown haired young man picked him up and pulled him against his chest, against his heart to protect him.

And for a second he felt like he was a little toddler again and his parents HAD come out of the car to pick him up and sing for him.

"Jiraiya, I am Iruka Umino. I'm a friend of Naruto and know him from the Factory."

"Not a friend, Ruka," Naruto whispered into the silence. "My brother."

"I'm here, Naruto."

* * *

><p>AN<p>

Here it is: The second part of my 'Thank You'-series! And it looks like there is more to come!

It wasn't easy for me to write this. I had some ideas even before I was done with the first part of 'Thank You For Noticing Me'and was sure I had to write a second part. Nothing back then could prepare me for what I wrote today.

I really, really like how it came out, even if it is anything but normal for me to write that many angst. Yes, dear readers, you read right - Saru wrote some angsty stuff. But please bear with me - the end of the chapter should make up for it.  
>And those who know me know that I'm a sucker for happy endings. But I had to show some of Naruto's background to show where he comes from and why he is as determined to get closer to Sasuke as he is.<p>

Warnings (the first time I have to really put them, I guess): Angst! Mention of violence, death and rape - nothing graphic, though.

I think that's about it. I promise the next chapter won't be as dark as this one!

Please let me know what you think about this. I'm more than a little excited, to be honest. I feel... deflowered in the angst-department.

Disclaimer: Owning nothing except the tissues next to my keyboard.


	3. For Your Smile

**Thank You…**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's note:<span>**** I'm not dead, neither is this story.**

**I know it's been loooong since I posted something for the ****_Thank You_**** series, but life took its toll on me and I had a lot going on here. That's why I couldn't wrap my head around a new chapter for this story - but I could today. So I did.**

**This is what happened from there on. ;) I cut it short to show you I haven't abandoned the boys (and I won't do anytime soon ^^) and because the chapter made me do it.**

**That much for the details, now on to the story!**

**Disclaimer, like every single time: Naruto isn't mine, but the story is.**

**Thank you for reading my stuff! Leave a comment if you like; I'd be a happy camper if you did! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3 – …For Your Smile<strong>

_A SasuNaru fanfic_

Naruto's voice faded out with a soft noise, something between a sigh and a whimper, and his whole stance kind of caved in. Sasuke found himself with a heap of Naruto in his lap and didn't mind it one bit – if it weren't for the returned sobs quivering the blond's body.

Shy hands patted shivering shoulders while Sasuke hummed in a soothing voice. He didn't know what to say – Uchihas weren't made for comforting, being the heartless bastards they were – so humming would have to do. And it really seemed to do the trick! Naruto's sobs quieted down and eventually stopped altogether, being replaced by deep breathing against Sasuke's chest.

The heat of the boy's body began to seep through Sasuke's clothing once again, warming his muscles and making his skin tingle where the blond touched him. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation and Sasuke found himself changing his way of comforting Naruto. Instead of awkward pats on the shoulder he now ran his hands through blond tresses, massaging the other's scalp and enjoying the feeling of the silken hair running through his fingers.

It hadn't been like this for a long time; Sasuke wasn't one to fall for anyone that easily, or at all. Usually it was the other way round: People would come onto him, courting him and giving him presents. More than once he had found several love letters in his locker, drowned in perfume and whatnot, only to toss them into the next trash can without even bothering to read them.

Every once in a while he would fancy one of his admirers, if only to get the rest of them off his back, but never had he felt anything deeper than a slight physical attraction, and even that had happened only once. He hadn't chosen mates, he had chosen accessories, mostly of the female kind to appease his family – the one time he had felt something more than boredom it had been with a guy, a guy he hadn't even dated. The guy who had sold him out later, at that. But now Naruto was all there was, and everything was fine for Sasuke. With the blond warming his lap, an old clock ticking away the seconds and the noises from outside being muffled by the windows, Sasuke felt at ease. He was himself again, for the first time in months; the first time in his life, maybe.

Naruto's breathing deepened further and he began to melt into Sasuke's form, closing every little distance that had separated them before. The boy was like putty, spreading over Sasuke and making him warm and tingly all over; even more so when his head rolled to the side, now facing Sasuke and his breath fanning over the Uchiha's face. Sasuke blushed. Hard. Almost as hard as something between his thighs Naruto soon would be feeling in his back if he sank any lower…

"Naruto," Sasuke nearly yelled. "I… I think I have to go now."

A blond head turned up quickly, a deer in the headlights look marring expressive blue eyes, but Naruto soon banned the look of horror from his face.

"Yeah, I guess so." His voice was void of all emotions now, just like he had expected this outcoming and wasn't the slightest bit surprised Sasuke would leave. It tore through the Uchiha's heart, but at the same time he was glad he had gotten rid of the head in his lap. He didn't dare imagine Naruto's reaction to that! It was way easier to clear the misunderstanding at hand.

"That's not what I meant, idiot!" he chastised lightly, shifting Naruto on his lap so the other wouldn't feel his _predicament_ by accident. "I was planning on taking you with me – a change of scene might be good for you."

Those words elicited a nearly inaudible mewl from Naruto that didn't help at all, and suddenly he wasn't so sure this was a good idea anymore. But the hopeful look in the other's eyes quelled every trace of those traitorous thoughts and he scrambled to get them both upright from the couch.

"Come, Naruto, let's get out of here."

Naruto fought for both his composure and his balance as his guest fought his way up from under his body and rose from the couch. He cleaned his face of every last remnants of his emotional rollercoaster ride with an inconspicuous motion and led the way to his apartment door, a little bounce in his steps at the aspect of spending more time with Sasuke, even after his revelations.

"Thank you, Sasuke," he mumbled and slipped into his shoes. Sasuke simply smiled one of those very rare (and very sexy) smiles of his and followed Naruto out of the door, secretly rearranging his crotch to hide the last remnants of his own emotional rollercoaster ride.

* * *

><p>"So, where are you taking me?" Naruto couldn't hold back his joy any longer; he skipped around the Uchiha, changing sides every now and then, walking slower, only to catch up again seconds later.<p>

Would the sexy raven take him out to ramen like on a date? Would they go catch a movie or having a picnic at the park? Naruto didn't know and he couldn't wait to see what would happen – forgotten were the shadows of his past.

Not so much for Sasuke. He still thought about what he had learned earlier, still digesting how to act around Naruto, now that he knew the things he had to go through as a child. Would there be any words or actions that would trigger a fit like his earlier words had? Or maybe cause a more violent reaction from the blond? Sasuke knew a little about psychology, and he knew some more about the blond's strength – he really didn't plan on being on the wrong side of Naruto's temper; even less so if he was in an upset state.

Would it even matter? Was it important to Sasuke to know those things? Was he in a position where it would be important to know those things? Did he want to _be_ in that kind of position – that close to the blond he would have a responsibility for him?

He would take things slow, get to know the blond better before he would decide how to proceed from there on. Better safe than sorry and all that stuff.

But right now he-

"Sasukeeeee!" Naruto's whining cut through his thoughts like a lightsaber through forearm. "Sasukeeee! Where are we going?"

Sasuke grunted, not deeming that worth an answer, and simply accelerated his walking speed. It wouldn't do to get irritated with the blond that early on in their… Friendship? Relationship? Whatevership…

"Sasuuuuukeeeeeee!"

"What!" It was all too much. The skipping, the whining, the rape of his name. "Would you please shut up, usuratonkachi?"

"Ah, there's the Sasuke we all know and lo- like!" Naruto's grin blinded Sasuke and every other passerby with the brightness of even teeth stretching nearly from ear to ear. "I was a little concerned, you know? Thought I'd lost you somewhere between my apartment and wherever we are going. Oh, while we're at it: Where exactly _are_ we going?"

He couldn't help himself; as hard as he tried, another smile fought its way onto his face and he fought hard to turn it into a smirk in the last second. He failed, if Naruto's pleasant expression was anything to go by. "Hn."

That made Naruto laugh and he stepped closer to his companion, throwing an arm around his shoulders and squeezing him against his body. "Lead the way, Monosyllable Man!"

The new nickname had Sasuke grinning and forgetting his earlier irritation. Instead he threw his arm around Naruto's middle, squeezing him back and leading him along the sidewalk.

"You know, Nar', I'll show you my flat." A smug grin accompanied those words, only brightening when he saw Naruto catching up with what he had said.

"Wow, Monosyllable Man indeed!" the blond exclaimed enthusiastically and fell into stride next to Sasuke. "You're full of surprises, Sasuke."

"I live to please." Sasuke remembered when Naruto had said those words to him in their first night 'together' – it felt like ages ago, but still it made the Uchiha feel a little warm inside.

Weird… He hadn't thought _that_ much about what had happened in the gym over the day; even when they had been more or less lying on top of each other on the couch, the present had filled his thoughts much more than the (admittedly pleasant) events in the storage room.

Weird too…

"Is that so?" Naruto's words were full of mischief, as were his eyes, and Sasuke felt dread looming over his head all of a sudden. There was only one way of defending against Naruto in full out madness mode: "Hn."

They made their way to Sasuke's apartment, all the while bantering and talking about easy stuff like homework and their joint appointment for Kakashi's class. Finally they arrived at their destination and Naruto was led into a neat, spacious apartment. Neat it was, and very spacious, but it was anonymous as well. Unlived in, almost sterile, and Naruto looked at Sasuke with something akin to pity in his eyes.

"You're pretty lonely, hu?"

After having taken his shoes off Sasuke turned to Naruto with a questioning look in his eyes. "What?"

"Well, your apartment is great and everything, but… Do you really _live_ here?"

"This is where I come after school, behind that door is where I shower, I cook in the kitchen and sleep in the bed behind the door over there, so… Yes, I think I live here."

"But you didn't call it 'home'," Naruto observed.

Thinking back about what words he had used Sasuke came to the same conclusion. "You're right… I guess I didn't…" Coming to think of it, Sasuke realized he really didn't feel at home at all in his own four walls. Opposed to when he was over at Naruto's place. The blond's home had really felt like _home_ – a thought that was way less surprising than Sasuke had thought it would be. And even now Sasuke felt his guest had brought something into these walls that made the light seem brighter and the atmosphere a little more welcoming. He wouldn't think too much about it, though – the Uchiha was afraid about the outcome of that…

"Well, either way, make yourself _at home_," the host emphasized, gesturing towards his living room. "Since we didn't have coffee earlier we might as well have it now, what you think?"

"Yeah, thanks. Hey, you have sugar in your kitchen, right?"

"Ehr, what?"

"Well, you don't seem to have a sweet tooth. I, on the other hand, am a sucker for sweets and stuff, so I usually take my coffee with tons of sugar. Or the other way round, a few drops of coffee in my su-," Naruto trailed off, being slightly afraid of the murderous look in Sasuke's eyes.

"Yes, I _do_ have sugar in my kitchen."

"Okay, thanks for the input… I… uhm, I think I will go over there and pretend I'm a couch cushion then…"

And the boy indeed pretended to be a couch cushion, buried under several other black leather cushions, while Sasuke prepared their coffee, a hidden smile on his face. Naruto was fun to be around and the Uchiha was pretty sure they would get along well, now that he knew the blond better than he had before… Well, before their night spent together in the gym hall. A fleeting blush crept over his features and he was glad Naruto had decided not to follow him into the kitchen.

He would need to get his perverted thoughts in check around Naruto if he planned to spend more time with him.

When he returned to the living room Naruto had vanished from the leather sofa and was nowhere to be seen. With cups of coffee in each of his hands, one sickeningly sweet, Sasuke turned around, his eyes searching for "Naruto?"

The door to his bedroom opened and Naruto emerged, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, had to take a leak and forgot where your bathroom was…"

"So you decided to use my bedroom instead?"

"_Bath_room, _bed_room… It was about time you changed your bed sheets either way!"

Sasuke grunted and nodded to the other door leading from the hall. "Over there, usuratonkachi."

Naruto grinned thankful and hurried to the right door, disappearing behind the dark wood. Sasuke put the cups on the coffee table and used the time to rearrange the cushions on his sofa in their right order again to the tune of Naruto's whistling in the bathroom.

When the blond reemerged he was greeted by a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"What's with the whistling?"

"Oh… You heard that?" Again the back of the blond head was scratched and an embarrassed grin crossed Naruto's features. "I don't like the sound of taking a leak, so I whistle… Usually I sing, so don't complain!"

Sasuke outright laughed, his whole body shaking with his laughter as he watched his guest rubbing his neck and blushing. "You're quite some guy, Naruto!"

* * *

><p>Time flew by while the boys sat on the couch next to each other. "Hey, Sasuke," Naruto began when the clock neared nine in the evening.<p>

"Hu?"

"Thank you for today."

"No problem! I'm glad you feel better now. You do, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Naruto rose from the comfortable sofa and turned to the door. "But I have to go now; still some things to do at home and then there's the coffee stain on my carpet and all, you know?"

The events from earlier that day rushed back into Sasuke's thoughts and he frowned. "I'll pay for the cleaning."

"Hey, it's not the first time I had a stain on my carpet – it's fine. Just let me work my magic and we'll see if there is any cleaning to be paid for," Naruto answered, getting his shoes on.

"If you say so. But let me make up for it with a coffee or anything!" Sasuke insisted, for a short second surprised by his own boldness. Seemed like he was an Uchiha after all – when they had set their mind on something, they'd get it, whatever it took.

"Okay, okay," the blond gave in. "And about the assignment… Let's say we meet tomorrow and get it done?"

"I'll be over at nine."

"That's fine with me, but bring breakfast!"

Sasuke grinned at that, already waiting for the next morning to come. "It's a date then!"

It felt great to say it that way, he realized. He wasn't sure Naruto would catch up on the double meaning, but Sasuke would refer to their planned appointment as their first date, would someone ask him in the future. Not very likely right now, but he liked to be prepared.

"It's a date, bastard!" Naruto smiled and made his way home, Sasuke looking after him until the blond had disappeared around a street corner.

And for one short second Sasuke felt grateful for the assignment Kakashi had 'punished' them with – for the first time since he came to Konoha he felt like he had found something that could make this place _home_.

* * *

><p>"What did I hear about you skipping classes again?" Iruka's voice sounded dangerously serious, even through the phone.<p>

"Yeah, well… I'm sorry?"

"That won't work this time, Naruto! You told me you would behave yourself – you promised!"

"I really AM sorry, 'Ruka!" Naruto tried again. "See, something came up and the whole Ino thing was still going strong and- It won't happen again, okay? It was only P.E.!"

Iruka sighed deeply, but he cared too much for Naruto to really be angry at him. He knew the boy's weaknesses like no one else, as well as he knew his strengths. "Okay, I'll let you get away with it this last time, 'Ruto, but don't think about pulling such a stunt again! You know-"

"Please don't make me say it! I promise it was the last time, 'Ruka," Naruto vowed as the door bell disturbed his brother's call. He walked to the door, phone still pressed against his ear. "Hey bastard!"

"Who are you calling a bastard, Naruto?" two voices rang at the same time, Iruka's angry and Sasuke's bored.

"Oh, not you, Iruka, sorry. I just have someone over for a school assignment," Naruto clarified, motioning Sasuke to come in. The raven stepped through the door and toed his shoes off before entering the living room.

"I don't want you to call anyone a bastard, Naruto; neither me nor anyone else!"

"But what if they deserve it?" Naruto flashed his guest a broad grin, knowing Sasuke understood perfectly well what he and his caller were talking about. The boy simply hn'ed and sank back into the soft cushions of Naruto's old, but incredibly comfortable couch.

"Well, that's something different, I guess," Iruka chuckled. "I'll leave you to your work then, Naru. But make sure to call me later and tell me everything about you and that Uchiha boy!"

"How do you-" Naruto started, but Iruka had already hung up on him, probably laughing his ass off. "Bastard."

"Hey, that's my name!" Sasuke chimed in from the couch and smirked.

"You can keep it!" Naruto grinned and returned to the living room. "Soooo. Breakfast?"

A bag with all kinds of food was shoved into his welcoming arms and he led Sasuke into the kitchen where he had prepared the table to cater their breakfast.

"What are the chopsticks for, Naruto?"

"Ramen of course!"

"And we're having ramen because…?"

"Because it's the best thing you can eat, of course!" Naruto didn't see the problem Sasuke had.

"Of course. At nine o'clock in the morning."

"Every time is a good time for ramen!"

"And I brought rolls and croissants because…"

"They make a great side dish for ramen?"

"Please tell me you're kidding me, Naruto."

Naruto spontaneously decided _not_ to boil water for the two cups of ramen he had thought they would eat. Instead he opened his fridge and searched for margarine, marmalade and other good things beginning with an 'M'. Like milk.

"So that's why they don't serve ramen for breakfast!" he suddenly exclaimed, startling Sasuke from his observation of the kitchen.

"What is?"

"It doesn't start with an 'M'!"

"Come again?"

"Well, breakfast things begin with an 'M', obviously! Like 'margarine', 'marmalade', 'milk' and so on and so forth," Naruto counted with his fingers.

"And 'rolls', 'salami', 'bacon', 'eggs', 'coffee'… I wouldn't give too much on that theory of yours, idiot." Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat down on one of the stools on the kitchen table.

"So it means I _can_ have ramen for breakfast if I want. Works for me!" He didn't go through with his ramen plan, though; instead Naruto searched for bacon in his fridge, eventually resurfacing from the cooling device with both bacon and salami. "I hope you like bacon or salami? I know you don't like marmalade, but I can't offer that much aside from that."

"No, it's fine. Now please sit down and get the coffee coming – it's Saturday, it's early, and we have a lot of work to do."

As long as it was fine with Sasuke, Naruto wouldn't complain. He had been awake for quite some time by now, impatiently waiting for the hours to go by until the dark haired boy would turn up at his door, effectively chasing away any boredom that would befall him in his silent apartment.

Since it had been too early to play one of his computer games he had cleaned his carpet, having nothing left of the dark brown stain except for a wet spot that still needed to dry completely, but Naruto was proud of the result. Soon there wouldn't be anything hinting at what had happened yesterday.

"Hey, I see you worked your magic with the carpet, hu," Sasuke observed now, too, and pointed at the stained part of the floor.

"Yeah, I did," Naruto nodded. "Do you think it can fly now? Being a magical carpet and all…"

"Naruto. Naruto. Naruto!"

"Eh, what?" Resurfacing from his fantasies about him and Sasuke riding a flying carpet while singing a duet Naruto grinned his trademark grin and focused on the here and now.

"Would you please hand me the Magic Margarine?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry." They munched their breakfast in a friendly atmosphere, chatting lightly and enjoying each other's presence. "So, Sasuke," Naruto eventually started. "What is this assignment about? You never told me the details."

* * *

><p>It figured it was a rather easy one, with Naruto knowing all the information they were supposed to look up in the internet and Sasuke with his way of putting words together to a coherent essay about the specific differences between rugby and football.<p>

Both boys suspected they had been set up by their teacher, just so they would have to spend time together. Probably to work out their problems; and it had worked. Now they both sat on the low table in the living room, sifting through the internet despite having finished their essay – Naruto didn't want Sasuke to leave, so he made up rules and claimed they had to double check if they were official rules.

"Naruto, we're done with this!" Sasuke groaned eventually, noon having passed two hours ago. "Let's email this to Hatake and then do something else."

"We can't! I'm pretty sure at least one of the Safeties has to wear a thong instead of a jockstrap since 1892. We have to look that up!"

"You're making up things, aren't you?"

"Sasuke, how could you! I'm hurt! Deeply hurt! Why would I do such a thing?" Naruto grabbed his chest in mock hurt, big eyes shining with fake tears.

"How would I know _why_ you are doing one thing or another? I only know we're done with this shit, so please let's go outside or anything. I'm going crazy if I have to read 'position' one more time." A low growl accompanied those words and Sasuke sank back until his back rested on the ground behind him. That made his shirt ride up his stomach and reveal a delectable piece of pale, smooth skin, adorned by the cheeky treasure trail leading from the Uchiha's navel to his family jewels. Naruto couldn't tear his eyes apart.

"O-… Okay… I'll see you out," he stammered, finally able to focus on the laptop again to send their essay on its digital way.

Sasuke shot him a pitiful look and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder how you managed to graduate elementary school, usuratonkachi. I'm taking you with me!"

Naruto's face immediately lit up and he couldn't wait to get up and out the door. He shut down his computer, put the remaining dishes in the sink and had put on his shoes before Sasuke even had reached the hall. With an amused grin the Uchiha slipped in his own shoes and followed the energetic blond onto the street. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I- ehm. I don't know. What had you in mind?" In all honesty, Naruto had quite a few ideas, but all were more suited for a date of the romantic kind, not so much for a friendly hang out between bros. "We could get some coffee to go and talk about guys we find hot or something?"

"Or I could treat you to ice cream and we skip the girlish talks about cute guys," Sasuke suggested instead, already turning towards the inner city.

"Doesn't feel it a lot like a date of some sort?"

"Well, I thought of this as one, idiot."

Naruto stood rooted to the spot, looking after Sasuke's retreating form and slowly progressing what his eyes tried to convince him he had heard. When it clicked he ran after the dark haired boy, screaming at the top of his lungs. "I'm not an idiot, bastard!"

"Could have fooled me."

* * *

><p>"And you really don't mind calling this a date?" Naruto asked for what felt like the thousandth time. Sasuke sighed.<p>

"No, I really don't. After all it was me who said it was a date, right?"

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't sure you actually knew what polysyllabic words mean."

"And I wasn't sure you actually knew what 'polysyllabic' means, so we're good. Coming to think of it… I'm still pretty sure you don't know."

Naruto shoved his elbow playfully before he made up for it with one of his genuine smiles, scooting closer to Sasuke. "So, this really is a date then?" he asked a little shyly.

"I think so, yes," was the Uchiha's even answer; he didn't want to sound too enthusiastic.; it wouldn't do for him to scare his classmate away. "Do you want it to be one?"

"I- I guess. Is that weird?"

"Not weirder than being locked up in a supply closet in the school gym."

Naruto blushed a little at that, but couldn't be convinced to tell why he was blushing at the thought of that particular night. Sasuke had an idea of what the blond was thinking about, but after he had been an ass about what had happened he didn't want to pry any further.

Their sundaes were molten by the time they made a pause in their conversation, but still they stayed glued to their seats, spooning the creamy goodness despite its disturbing alikeness to another sort of cream they already had seen and felt of each other. But when a white dollop of Naruto's spoon fell of the silverware and onto his chin, Sasuke couldn't help himself. He cracked up laughing, throwing his head back and crying with laughter.

Naruto smiled sheepishly and licked the unruly drop away, but not without making a show of it.

That put an abrupt halt to Sasuke's giggles and his eyes traced the deep red tongue's movement, taking in the way it curled down those sinful lips, collecting the milky substance and soon vanishing out of sight again into the hot cavern that was Naruto's mouth. Said mouth's wielder hummed deep in his throat and licked over his lips once again, the tip of his tongue only slightly peeking out and moistening the full lips, then he let his mouth fall open a little bit and an appreciative moan escaped him.

Yes, that had definitely been a moan. A moan in a public ice cream parlor. A moan in a public ice cream parlor that made Sasuke's thoughts go straight down the drain – in a not very "straight" way, figuratively speaking.

"Would you please stop that?" he hissed, not daring to speak up in the presence of the other guests in the parlor.

"Stop what?" Naruto asked with feigned innocence; innocence that Sasuke didn't buy one second.

"With presenting an almost pornographic show of eating ice cream!"

"It's just ice cream, Sasuke! I really don't know what your problem is!"

Curse blonds and their talent of making speaking innocent words into an art of seduction. "But you do know what it looks like! Please, Naruto, I beg you! We're in public, there are families with children and I really don't want to lose even the last remnants of my Uchiha pride in a place like this."

"You know, for all the things your family did to you you're still kinda in their grasp, aren't you?" Naruto had stopped his show by now, genuine interest in his voice.

"I guess. It's not like I got rid of them just because I ran away, is it?"

"Does it feel like you ran away from something, Sasuke?"

"Yes, it does." Sasuke cast his eyes down, not wanting his eyes to give away the pain he felt at his family's betrayal. "I-… I don't want this to turn into a lousy date, just because my family got in the way, Naruto. I left them just because of that, after all."

"It's okay, Sassy," Naruto chuckled when he took Sasuke's hand into his own. "I'll follow you wherever you may run, fair maden!"

"Make sure it isn't me following you – with a knife at hand!"

The somber atmosphere was dispelled and the boys soon found back to their easy chatter, slowly getting to know each other better. For all their flirting and talking about dates, it was more like bantering with a friend they had known for a long time; and still there was something in between the lines, in between the glances they shared and the 'accidental' touches of their knees or hands.

* * *

><p>It wasn't until they left the ice cream parlor that Naruto realized something. "Sasuke," he said dryly. "That place is called 'Las Vegas Ice Cream Parlor'."<p>

"And?"

"What happened in there doesn't have to stay in there, does it? Because if so, I insist on a second date thing, just so you know!" He wouldn't go through all the emotional chaos again, only because one particular Uchiha felt like it was a good idea to bring desert cities into the mix. He stomped with his foot angrily.

"And don't give me that look! I refuse, you hear? I _refuse_ to be ignored again!"

"Why would I do that, Naruto?" Sasuke looked him deep in the eyes and for the first time Naruto saw the endless depths in the other's eyes.

"You're eyes are breath-" His words were interrupted by Sasuke's lips on his own, and soon a tongue came out to play along his own lower lip. Naruto let his eyes fall closed and instead opened his mouth to gain Sasuke entrance.

After a few short seconds the kiss ended as suddenly as it had begun, and Naruto searched his friend's gaze. "That happened outside," Sasuke clarified, his bangs hiding the blush spreading over his cheeks. "So you don't have anything to complain about."

Naruto smiled happily, grasped Sasuke's hand and intertwined their fingers. "I still want that second date; you know that, right?"


	4. For the Second Chance

**Thank You…**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note the first: Actually I'm supposed to write a thousand other things, but this is what my fingers wrote despite me having to do all those other things. Sorry! xD<strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Too bad… **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 – …For the Second Chance<strong>

_A SasuNaru fanfic_

"Life is a funny, funny thing."

"Hu?" Naruto lifted his head from his folded arms and shot a confused look at the person standing next to his seat in the cafeteria.

He hadn't paid any attention to his surroundings, had instead relived the happenings of the last weekend. The breakdown, the relief, the date, the kiss, the promise of a second date, another kiss when Sasuke had taken Naruto home, the playful banter the boys had found themselves in at school, the text messages they sent each other after school. All in all it had been a great week; up until this Friday, that was quickly going down the drains.

"Yeah, you see, no one liked you around here when we first started school. Then you found some poor idiots who at least pretended to like you and now it only took one act by me to make them hate you again." Ino sounded pretty proud of the misery she had put the blond in.

Not that she knew what good had come out of her desperate attempt to gain Sasuke's attention.

"Too funny, right," Naruto mumbled and didn't bother to pay the blonde girl any attention. It was too much of a nuisance to listen to her anyway.

"Don't you dare ignoring me, Firebug," Ino spoke up, gaining not necessarily Sasuke's attention (since he wasn't even in the cafeteria) but the attention of everyone gathered in the big room. "You can't cheat on me with some filthy whore and then expect me not to be mad at you! You hurt me, you know? You hurt me and my feelings! I trusted you, I might even have loved you!"

The audience grew by the second – it didn't take much to entertain a teenage crowd, after all. Some were whistling and egging Ino on, interested in the story she told; more like, _screamed_, for everyone to hear. "You were a terrible boyfriend! I thought you'd love me enough to stop the beating, wanted to help you out of your own misery, but you never let me!"

Naruto could take a lot of Ino's accusations, knowing they weren't true and knowing that Sasuke knew so, as well. The thoughts of the raven had helped Naruto a great deal those last days, knowing the feel of his lips on Naruto's, their tongues tangling and their bodies brushing, but what Ino did know was too much for Naruto to take.

"Ino, shut up," he said in a calm voice, barely audible over the whooping of their audience, so Ino was the only one to hear him.

"You want me to shut up? What will you do, punch me again? Beat me up and make me say I fell down some stairs? We're not at your house, Naruto. People will see you abusing me, asshole!"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto jumped up from his seat, hand fisted at his sides, his eyes darting left and right for an opening to escape. "You know nothing about me, Ino! We never were an item, never will be, and I really don't know what you think you can gain by this game you are playing-"

"It's not a game, you know that! I finally stand up to tell the truth!" Looking around Ino seemed to glow inwards. All eyes were set on them, ears listening attentively not to miss a single word spoken. She could already see the rumor mills working, spreading the terrible things Naruto had done to her in their secret relationship.

"The truth?" There it was again, the word anyone around him seemed to give a shit about. The blond boy felt his heart rate pick up and his face heating with the flush he desperately fought. He wouldn't break down in school, wouldn't give them anything to badmouth him again.

But no matter how much he fought for his composure, he couldn't stop some tears from spilling over. "You have no idea about the truth, Ino. Not even the slightest idea of what the truth is, what it even means," he whispered, his eyes darting back and forth. There _had_ to be an opening somewhere, a gap between the crowded students.

"Just because you can stand me telling all your _friends_ about it doesn't mean I don't know the truth, Firebug."

Naruto was trembling by now, his shoulders shaking with tension, his breath coming fast and shallow. Dots danced in his sight and he could hear his blood rushing through his veins over Ino's accusations. False accusations at that, and the familiar feeling of nausea and threatening unconsciousness overcame him.

Without any warning he darted forwards, making some fellow students dash backwards to make room for him. He didn't know if they were afraid he would attack them or something, he just needed to get out of here.

When he reached the door, desperately evading gripping hands that wanted to stop him, he came across Sasuke who just entered the cafeteria. He threw a surprised glance at the panicking blond pressing past him with tears on his face and a haunted look in his eyes.

But Naruto didn't stop; didn't stop before he reached his bike, mounted it and drove away from everything – Ino's accusations, her lies, the crowd's screams and grabs. All he could think of was getting away from everything, to find his truth again.

* * *

><p>Sasuke took the scene in that played out in front of him. Ino stood in the middle of the cafeteria, surrounded by girls and boys alike; some where patting her shoulders, others were talking about what had happened just minutes ago.<p>

Ino's teary eyes searched for Sasuke's, trying to convince him she had been hurt badly by whatever Naruto might have said or done to her. Sasuke only Hn'ed and turned around, disgusted by the display of desperation on Ino's part.

Standing in the door he turned around once more and addressed the fake crying girl, clearly audible for everyone bothering to listen to the raven haired Uchiha – what included the complete crowd in the room. "You're pathetic, Ino. You know that, right? I once tried to be polite with you and your fans here – I won't do so anymore. You disgust me; you all do."

The door swung closed behind him again and muted the rising voices he left behind. Now he needed to find-

"Sasuke!" Ino's voice cut through the low mumbling of the students filling the school's corridors, once again gaining all the attention she obviously craved so much. "You don't understand! Some horrible things were done when we-"

"Don't bother, Ino, I know already." The ice in his voice could have shock frosted boiling water, but he didn't care. This gossip loving _pig_ in front him didn't deserve anything else, and he wanted the other pupils to see the wrong in Ino. He didn't know where his sudden urge to protect Naruto came from, didn't know why he stepped in for the other boy for everyone to see, but he _did_ now it was the right thing to do.

"Actually there are several things I know about your relationship. I know that there wasn't any relationship between you and Naruto, at all. And I know that I pity the guy who falls for you and your antics; if there actually will be anyone dumb enough to give a shit about what you say, that is!"

Usually Sasuke wasn't one for crude language; he tried not to let things get to him enough to change his air of being inapproachable. But the blonde got to him, because she did horrible things to his blond.

"Sasuke, I-"

"I. don't. care. Ino!" Sasuke interrupted. "I don't care. Whatever you want to say to me – forget it. And if I ever see you again anywhere near Naruto, I'll make you regret you even know his name."

Leaving a dumbfounded Ino in his wake he rushed out of the school building, searching for the obnoxious orange of Naruto's bike on the parking lot. There was no orange, not even a bike, and he didn't know where Naruto would go in the state he was in right now.

How came it he had seen (and felt) the blond boy naked, rubbing up against his body, sharing touches, _kisses_ even, but didn't know anything about who he was?

He knew the Uzumaki's dark past, knew what had alienated him from the school crowd, and he desperately wanted to know his present self, and right know he felt he had to know where Naruto would run to.

"Don't bother calling him," a voice behind Sasuke said just as he fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone. "He won't answer."

Sasuke turned around and came face to face with Kiba's tattooed features. "How would you know?" the Uchiha seethed.

"I know him."

"The hell you do! I haven't seen you being there for him these last few days, have you?"

"I… I know that, and I… I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know what to do and everyone believed Ino, so I thought it might be true, you know?" Kiba looked downright miserable, but not half as desperate as Naruto had been.

"So you still claim that you know him? I don't know who's more pathetic right now. You or that foulmouthed bitch."

"Actually, I think it's me who's more pathetic, and I feel bad for it. That's why I want to help you! I don't know what happened between you two, but you were acting different from before, so I guess it must have been something good and- I'm really worried about Naruto."

This wasn't the outgoing dog lover in front of Sasuke right now. Forgotten were his bubbly personality and his toothy grin. The mischief, usually glinting in his eyes, was replaced by sincerity and seriousness – he cared for his blond friend, and he knew there was only one way to reach him now.

"You don't have to believe me, Uchiha, but you will find him at the old fire department. Ever since he was old enough to go anywhere on his own, he went there to be where…

* * *

><p>no fires didn't happen because this was the place where it had been fought against until the department closed and they built a new one in another part of town.<p>

Naruto felt calmer whenever he sneaked into the old, locked down house. The workers had removed all the equipment of the fire fighters, but the building still stood and even the lockers in the locker room were still there, old, empty and forgotten.

Slowly stepping through the dust Naruto followed his own path to the back of the garage where the fire trucks had once stood. Now all there was left of them was a foul smell in the air and dried puddles of oil and diesel.

He ducked through a half closed door into the break room, crossed that too, and came to a halt in the room where the bunks stood, just as abandoned as he felt right now. That thought made Naruto feel even worse – he wasn't abandoned anymore, he had Sasuke. Or did he? They had said they'd go on a second date, but that had been days before and Sasuke hadn't made any second attempt in asking him out. Not that the first time had exactly been what he understood by being asked out.

A humorless laugh bubbled out of his throat, echoing through empty halls. At least his breathing had returned to normal and his heart wasn't beating a mile a minute anymore.

Turning right he saw the steps leading upstairs, right up until he opened the door at the top of the stairs and a fresh breeze welcomed him on the flat roof of the building, tousling his hair and playing with the bangs hanging in his forehead, sometimes even flying into his teary eyes. Naruto took a deep breath and stepped up to the edge of the roof.

* * *

><p>"NARUTO!" Sasuke saw the blond figure stepping up to the edge and wondered for a short moment why nobody had bothered to install a railing up there – this was dangerous!<p>

The wind tore the words from his lips and he wasn't sure the blond preparing to jump from the roof had heard them.

"NARUTO! STEP BACK! DON'T YOU DARE TO JUMP!" The young man on the roof didn't acknowledge his words, didn't react to his screaming and his waving. Sasuke shocked, didn't know what to do. He had to get up there, drag the idiot away from the edge and make him talk to him.

They had been fine! Naruto had been fine! They had had some sort of a date, had eaten ice together, had talked, laughed and bantered, they even had kissed! Out in the open! And Sasuke had asked Naruto out for a second date! Wasn't that enough!?

Panic-fueled steps carried him through the abandoned fire department and he was relieved to see only one single trail leading through the dusted rooms. He found the door to get on the roof and ripped the door open, inwardly afraid of what he might find.

Would Naruto still be standing on the edge, struggling with his decision? Or would he wait for Sasuke on the other side of the door, explaining what he did up here alone?

The door made way for the frantically searching raven, but his eyes weren't met with the sight of Naruto. Instead the horizon stretched along the edge of the world, separating heaven and earth in the unreachable distance. Sasuke sank down on his knees, a desperate cry tearing through his throat. He was too late to save Naruto, too late to tell him that someone cared for him and didn't believe the lies the others told about him.

Tears spilled over while the dark haired boy slowly crawled to the edge of the roof, afraid of the lifeless body he would see lying on the ground, but at the same time unable to stop himself from doing this. He had to see Naruto, had to stay with him until the end, even if their time together had been short.

Oh, the irony. He finally had found the courage to open up to someone else again, had been ready to take a risk, and now the last thing that meant something to him had been ripped out of his reach.

When Sasuke could push his head over the edge he did so with closed eyes. The abyss tore at him even with him not seeing it, and he hesitated again. Would he be strong enough to be able to stand the sight of Naruto, bleeding and broken on the ground?

"Sasuke, what-"

Sasuke's head tossed around, searching the source of the voice he longed so hard to hear. And there he stood, Naruto in all his (very much alive and very much unscathed) glory.

The raven robbed backwards, away from the edge of the roof, and rose from the ground, launching himself at the blond. "Naruto, I was so worried you jumped!"

"Why would I do that?"

"How should _I_ know? You're the one who ran away from school like the devil was chasing you!"

"I… Well… You… ehm, hehe." The Uzumaki rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "You see, there was Ino and she said some things and you know how I can get when someone says the right things and… I didn't want to faint again, you see? I have a reputation to uphold!"

Sasuke peeled himself away from Naruto's form again and took a tentative step back, looking intently at the boy in front of him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I am. I come here whenever I feel like everything is getting too much. I just sit here and watch the city being busy while I am up here and am very much _un_busy. Join me?"

"I'd like that," Uchiha answered and followed Naruto around the small structure housing the door leading onto the roof. When he sank down next to his companion, his back resting against the wall behind him, he could see why Naruto would choose this side to watch over the city.

The view was breathtaking, seemingly endless forests and fields stretching out before them. The fire department was in the outskirts of Konoha; one of the reasons a new one had been built in the city centre.

Eventually Sasuke's breathing had returned to normal and he found himself relaxing against the wall.

"Hey, Sasuke, why exactly have you been so upset when you came here? Not that I wasn't grateful for your visit or anything…"

"I… When I arrived here I could see you standing at the edge, so I called you, but you didn't react. And when I came through that door you were gone and I thought you…"

"Oh. Sorry." Sasuke felt Naruto's arm snake around his shoulders and he couldn't help but melt into the embrace. "I wouldn't do something like that, Sasuke. I promise."

"Thank you, Naruto."

They sat there in silence and watched the sun set in the evening hours, bathing them in orange light and tinting the sky in the most beautiful colors.

"Should we head back?" Naruto asked finally.

Sasuke found the blond rise from the position he had been in, sprawled across the roof with his head laid down in Sasuke's lap. "Back? I can't see the point in returning back to school now – there won't be anybody, it's late."

"I know it's late, bastard!" Naruto grumbled, the insult expressing more affection than antipathy. "I meant home."

"Yeah, sure. And, uhm… About the date… Is it a bad time talking about that now?"

Naruto's blue eyes blinked at him in surprise. "No! Why would it?"

"I don't know. You kind of freaked out earlier, I thought you might commit suicide, we are sitting on the roof of an abandoned fire department and every second the police could come and arrest us for breaking and entering…"

"Oh, that!" Naruto laughed again, nothing in his mood reminding of his earlier drama. "That's okay! The police never come here. And the freaking out? That's why you are here, right? I think it all worked out in the end, even at the risk of sounding corny."

"You do, but that's beside the point." Sasuke cleared his throat, squared his shoulders and spoke in a rather official sounding tone. "Naruto Uzumaki, please let me ask you out to dinner tomorrow night."

The blond couldn't stop from laughing at Sasuke's antics, and the raven watched him with a pleased smirk. "Oh, you feel so smug right now, right?" Naruto chuckled. "I'm flattered by your gracious offer, Sasuke Uchiha, and I would be honored to accompany to dinner tomorrow night. I will await your carriage at 7p.m. at my estate then." Naruto completed his show with a small curtsy.

Now it was Sasuke's turn to laugh, and he bowed down. "Thank you, milady."

They linked arms and left the old building together. "7p.m. sharp, milady. I won't accept any belatedness!"

* * *

><p>Naruto stood in front of his closet and tried to ignore the nagging voice in his head that told him he was being a girl about this date. It wasn't like Sasuke was expecting anything, right?<p>

Okay, he might have sent him a text saying he should 'dress nice', but that was normal, right? It wasn't like Naruto didn't have anything to wear! He dressed nice, even without having people to tell him so. The bike gear incident had been an accident! And now he found himself standing in front of his closet full of clothes, not knowing what to wear. He felt like a girl.

He wanted to do this right, wanted for Sasuke to see that he was okay and the other boy didn't need to be worried about him. He wasn't suicidal, didn't even know where Sasuke had gotten that ide- Well, maybe he _did_ know – it wasn't exactly normal to faint in his living room over some bad words and false accusations. But he had explained it, hadn't he?

A buzzing from his cell phone reminded him of the time – another thirty minutes before his bell would ring and Sasuke would await him, probably looking great in whatever he wore. And, from the looks of it, Naruto would invite him into his apartment clad in a low riding towel around his waist.

"Argh! Get a hold of yourself, Uzumaki!" Naruto closed his wardrobe, took a deep, calming breath, and opened it again. Sure hands found some dark slacks and a starched white button-down shirt Jiraiya had got him for official events and the likes. "Nice enough, Uchiha?"

Naruto surely hoped so…

6.45p.m. and Naruto was a nervous wreck. He didn't know why he was that nervous – it wasn't the first time he and the Uchiha would meet, after all.

The doorbell rang and Naruto jumped up from his couch, almost stumbling over his own feet on his way to the door which he almost ripped off its hinges. "You are early, Sa-"

"Good evening, Naruto. May I come in?" This… wasn't Sasuke. Not unless he had died his hair pink for some unknown reasons and had taken a liking to wearing skirts all of a sudden. "I didn't know we had a date, though." The pinkette stepped past Naruto and went straight into the kitchen, sitting down on the table there. "You look great, by the way. Were you going somewhere?"

"Ehm, well, yeah. I'm waiting for S-… someone to pick me up, sorry."

"Oh, no, I am sorry! I didn't know you had plans, I just wanted to, you know, apologize for my behavior these last few days since Ino said those terrible things. I… Ahm, you know, well, I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be, Sakura, it's okay. But I really need you to go before my date arrives…" Naruto felt the heat creeping up his face, probably coloring it in a shining red. He needed Sakura out of his apartment before Sasuke arrived or awkwardness was sure to make an appearance.

And just like karma had waited for it the doorbell rang again. Naruto gathered all his strength _not_ to jerk at the sound. "He's early," he mumbled to no one particular, but there was only one person to hear him anyway.

"Who is?" Sakura asked nosily, throwing curious glances at the door.

"No one!" Naruto almost screeched. "Okay, here's the plan. I will give you the key. You will stay in the kitchen and out of sight. I will leave my apartment. You will wait for fifteen minutes before you leave as well and lock up. Then you will drop the key in my mailbox and everything will be fine."

But Sakura wasn't listening anymore. She had pushed past Naruto and was already at the door, opening it for whoever had rang the bell moments ago.

"Sasuke!" she said surprised, letting the other man enter the apartment. "Hey, I didn't expect you here!"

"Neither did I," Sasuke mumbled, his eyes searching Naruto's. The blond shrugged and motioned for his guest to come into the living room.

"Well, Sakura, as you can see I'm taken for the evening, but thanks for coming by," he tried to usher the girl out again. She threw him a look that promised a lot of questions to be coming later and left the boys to their evening.

Naruto turned to his remaining guest and grinned embarrassedly. "I'm sorry for the awkwardness…"

"You look great," Sasuke answered in his serious voice, eyeing the blond up and down appreciatively.

"Eh… what?!" Taken by surprise Naruto's question came out a few octaves too high, and he slapped a hand across his mouth. "Uhm. You. Too." And he did look good! Black slacks, white shirt, tight fitting jacket, glossy shoes. Sasuke's hair looked invitingly soft and at the same time stylish, and his face. Oh his face. Naruto's breath was taken away from him.

Sasuke sent a sincere smile his way and grabbed his hand, tugging him along and out of the apartment. "Let's go, we have somewhere to be."

* * *

><p>"Can I look?"<p>

"Just a few more steps."

"Sasukeeeee! Let me loooook!" Naruto's whining attracted the attention of some other people around, and more than one curious look was shot their way, but Sasuke found he didn't care. Should they look! They all could see he was on a date with a gorgeous man in surprisingly sharp clothes!

"Now you can look!" Sasuke took his hands away from Naruto's eyes and awaited his reaction to the place he had chosen to house their date.

"Ehm… Well… this looks pretty… um… don't know…?"

"You don't like it? Is it… is it… don't you want to eat with… ehm… Naruto?"

"I- I don't know. Doesn't this seem a little megalomaniac to you?"

"Do you think? I thought it would be nice to have a good meal, to spend some time together, you know? Just us?"

"And some hoity-toity waiters, fancy-shmancy guests and all about everything I'm not? Sorry, Sasuke, I really want to spend time with you and I would even go in there with you – you look great, you know, like you belong here. But I don't and I'm sorry. Let's just… Go hit the arcades or something?"

Sasuke looked at his date, inwardly relieved Naruto had said all those things; the hidden compliment even made him blush a little, and he took Naruto's hand into his.

"I'm sorry I went over the top with this. I thought I could impress you with this, wanted this to be special."

"It is special as long as we do something together, Sasuke, okay? And you don't have to impress me to get into my pants, you've already been there!" A blinding smile met Sasuke and he was lost in it that very second.

He bent forwards, ignoring the people sending them shocked glares, and caught Naruto's lips with his in a short, chaste kiss. "Lead the way, milady," he smiled and let himself be dragged along the promenade to wherever Naruto thought the place wasn't too upper-class for them.

* * *

><p>Naruto opened the top buttons of his shirt and fell in step with Sasuke next to him. "Hey, you aren't mad at me or anything, are you?"<p>

"No, should I?"

"No, you shouldn't…" Naruto smiled and tentatively brushed his pinky against Sasuke's. Just a simple, shy touch of fingers, an invitation of some sort, to make sure the raven wasn't disappointed in Naruto for dumping his idea of a date.

But Sasuke didn't hesitate even a second. He gripped Naruto's hand softly and intertwined their fingers, swinging back and forth with their steps. "Actually, I'm kind of glad we didn't go in there. The food is great and everything – or so I've heard, but I like this better," he said, nodding at their linked hands.

"I do too!" Naruto beamed. "And I'll show you a place where the food is even better! You like ramen, right?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's not the second: A new chapter, and a short one at that, but I wanted to let the bond the boys are forging to strengthen, to stand up against the obstacles put in their way. Do you think it worked? ^^<strong>

**Either way, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**I want to take the opportunity and thank all you people still reading this! You are awesome!  
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**Thanks for all the favs and the follows, I love every single one of you guys! And thanks for the comments, too! Maybe even a little more - as an author I'm supposed to live on love alone, right? So thanks for providing me with this love, all you crazy people! ;)  
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